Footnotes
1 The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2024, UN, June 2024
2 “Reinforcing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and eradicating poverty in times of multiple crises: The effective delivery of sustainable, resilient and innovative solutions”, UN, May 2024
3 For each SDG, the GSMA calculates a ‘mobile impact score’ out of 100. A score of zero means the mobile industry is having no impact at all, while a score of 100 means the industry is doing everything possible to contribute to that SDG. A more detailed description is provided in the SDG Impact Methodology document.
4 The Global Digital Compact will set out principles, objectives and actions for advancing an open, free, secure and human-centred digital future, one that is anchored in universal human rights and that enables the attainment of the SDGs. For more information, see “A Global Digital Compact — an Open, Free and Secure Digital Future for all”, UN, May 2023
5 The ‘usage gap’ refers to those who live within the footprint of a mobile broadband network but do not use mobile internet services.
6 Note: all figures correct to end of 2023, unless stated otherwise
7 Source: GSMA Intelligence calculations of data provided by Ookla® Speedtest Intelligence®
8 The GSMA SDG impact framework previously included the Operating Responsibly pillar, which focused on sustainable business practices supporting the mobile industry’s contribution to the SDGs. This pillar relied on inputs from the GSMA Sustainability Assessment Framework, which is no longer being updated. Consequently, the Operating Responsibly pillar has been removed from the SDG impact framework and from previous years’ SDG impact scores. To provide a deeper understanding of the mobile industry’s ESG performance, the GSMA has launched ESG Metrics for Mobile, a first-of-its-kind mobile sector ESG reporting framework featuring 10 industry-specific KPIs. For more information, see ESG Metrics for Mobile White Paper, GSMA, 2024
9 SDG Impact Methodology document, GSMA, 2024
10 This calculation of mobile penetration takes into account the poorest 40% of population in each country and not the poorest 40% of the global population.
11 This calculation of mobile penetration takes into account the poorest 40% of population in each country and not the poorest 40% of the global population.
12 IoT Connections Forecast to 2030, GSMA Intelligence, December 2023
13 For more information, see IoT Guide: Connected Environment, GSMA, 2024
14 The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2024, UN, June 2024
15 “Reinforcing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and eradicating poverty in times of multiple crises: The effective delivery of sustainable, resilient and innovative solutions”, UN, May 2024
16 “A Global Digital Compact — an Open, Free and Secure Digital Future for All”, UN, May 2023
17 See How broadband, digitization and ICT regulation impact the global economy, ITU, 2020; and Mobile technology and economic growth, GSMA, November 2020
18 See The welfare effects of mobile broadband internet: Evidence from Nigeria, Bahia, Castells, Genaro Cruz, Masaki, Pedrós, Pfutze, Rodríguez-Castelán and Winkler, 2024; and Mobile Broadband, Poverty, and Labor Outcomes in Tanzania, Bahia, Castells, Cruz, Masaki, Rodríguez-Castelán and Sanfelice, 2023
19 The Impact of Mobile on People’s Happiness and Well-Being, GSMA and Gallup, February 2018
20 ibid.
21 The ‘coverage gap’ refers to those who live in an area not covered by a mobile broadband network
22 The State of Mobile Internet Connectivity Report 2023, GSMA, 2023
23 21st Century Financing Models for Bridging Broadband Connectivity Gaps, Broadband Commission, 2021
24 The State of Mobile Internet Connectivity 2023, GSMA, October 2023
25 See Developing mobile digital skills in low- and middle-income countries, GSMA, 2021, and GSMA Mobile Internet Skills Training Toolkit
26 Making internet-enabled handsets more affordable in low- and middle-income countries, GSMA, 2022
27 Mobile Gender Gap Report 2024, GSMA, May 2024
28 ibid.
29 ibid.
30 “Does just being a woman reduce the likelihood of using mobile?”, GSMA Mobile for Development, August 2020
31 For more recommendations on closing the mobile gender gap, see Mobile Gender Gap Report 2024, GSMA, May 2024
32 Policy considerations to accelerate digital inclusion for women in low- and middle-income countries, GSMA, September 2022
33 Driving the Digital Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities, GSMA, April 2022
34 Safety, privacy and security across the mobile ecosystem, GSMA, October 2022
35 For more information, see “GSMA Mobile Alliance to combat Digital Child Sexual Exploitation”, GSMA, February 2024
36 The Internet Value Chain 2022, GSMA, May 2022
37 See, for example, The long-run poverty and gender impacts of mobile money, Suri and Jack, 2016; and The poverty reduction effects of mobile broadband in Africa: Evidence from Nigeria, GSMA and World Bank, 2020
38 See, for example, Does Mobile Money Affect Saving Behaviour? Evidence from a Developing Country, Ky et al, 2017; and Mobile money and risk sharing against village shocks, Riley, 2018
39 State of the Industry on Mobile Money 2023, GSMA, 2023
40 Mobile Privacy Principles, GSMA, February 2016
41 Digital Identity: Accelerating Financial Inclusion During a Crisis, GSMA, March 2021
42 Securing the Mobile Ecosystem, GSMA, November 2022
43 For more information, see Mobile Policy Handbook 2024, GSMA February 2024
44 AI is a broad field that encompasses the development of intelligent systems capable of perceiving, learning, reasoning and acting in ways that mimic human cognitive abilities. AI, at its core, is the application of intelligence in machines. Machine learning and generative AI extend this by creating content without predefined input parameters. Examples of generative AI include text generation, image synthesis and music composition.
45 The Mobile Industry and AI, GSMA, February 2023
46 The State of Broadband: Leveraging AI for Universal Connectivity, ITU and Unesco, 2024
47 Mobile Big Data and Artificial Intelligence: Towards sustainable development in Southeast Asia, GSMA, November 2022
48 Utilising mobile big data and AI to benefit society, GSMA, March 2021
49 “The State of Broadband: Leveraging AI for Universal Connectivity”, ITU and Unesco, June 2024
50 AI Ethics Industry Playbook, GSMA, February 2022
51 GSMA’s Self-assessment Questionnaire
52 Mobile Privacy Principles, GSMA, February 2016
53 8 companies with GSMA include – INNIT, Lenovo Group, LG AI Research, Mastercard, Microsoft, Salesforce and Telefonica
54 AI for Africa: Use cases delivering impact, GSMA, July 2024
55 “Saving energy and decarbonizing residential homes”, ericsson.com
56 “Champa Ram beats the odds to get into IIT, turns dream into reality”, Bharti Foundation
57 An immersive experience that operates across 41 countries, including Egypt as one of the “Al Nour Wal Amal” NGO projects.
58 For more information, see the Vodafone Annual Report 2024
59 “Identity theft for digital fraud is on the rise in Brazil, says FICO”, FICO, March 2024
61 IoT and Essential Utility Services: Opportunities in low- and middle-income countries, GSMA, 2023
62 We define the Eurasia region as Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan
63 Closing the digital divide in Central Asia and the South Caucasus, GSMA Intelligence, 2023
64 Mobile Net Zero: State of the Industry On Climate Action 2024, GSMA, 2024
65 Mobile Net Zero: State of the Industry On Climate Action 2024, GSMA, 2024