GSMA board backs 5G growth, inclusion & 6G standards

The GSMA Board has outlined global priorities for the next phase of mobile connectivity, focusing on 5G, digital inclusion, scam prevention and 6G standards.

Board members met in New Delhi and held talks with government and industry leaders, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The meeting came as India's mobile market has expanded sharply over the past decade, reaching 1.2 billion active connections and 450 million 5G connections.

Mobile technologies and services generated USD $6 trillion in economic value globally in 2025, equal to 6.4% of world GDP, according to the industry body. That figure is projected to rise to USD $11.3 trillion by 2030.

A central topic was how operators can turn expanding 5G coverage into stronger commercial returns and broader economic impact. The board examined how market structures can support continued investment in newer network technologies, and how features such as network slicing could be applied across different parts of the economy.

By 2030, 57% of all mobile connections are expected to run on 5G, according to figures cited by the organisation. Operators are also projected to invest USD $1.2 trillion in capital expenditure between 2025 and 2030 as they expand and upgrade networks.

India featured prominently in those discussions. Its rapid 5G rollout was presented as an example of what sustained investment and policy direction can achieve in a large market.

"By working through global standards and collaborating across markets, we can accelerate innovation, strengthen trust and resilience, and ensure the benefits of connectivity are realised worldwide. India's rapid 5G adoption and deployment of digital public infrastructure show how scale, talent and ambition can drive inclusive growth and help shape the next era of connectivity," said Gopal Vittal, GSMA Chair.

Alongside investment, board members spent considerable time on digital inclusion. Despite mobile broadband coverage reaching 97% of the global population, 3.4 billion people still do not use mobile internet.

The group identified handset affordability as one of the main barriers, with a memory supply crisis pushing up the cost of entry-level smartphones and making internet-enabled devices harder to afford in lower-income markets.

In low- and middle-income countries, an entry-level internet-enabled handset costs the poorest 20% of people the equivalent of 44% of their average monthly income. In Sub-Saharan Africa, that rises to 76%.

Possible responses discussed at the meeting included financing schemes, targeted tax reductions and closer coordination across the device supply chain, including memory suppliers, handset makers, operators and governments.

"India provides a concrete example of the benefits that come when policy reform enables greater industry investment in mobile infrastructure. In India, and across the world, mobile connectivity is creating new opportunities for businesses, communities and economies. The next priority is to translate the rapid expansion of 5G into meaningful value, while ensuring that more people can access and benefit from the digital economy. This will require sustained investment, enabling policy and collaboration across the wider ecosystem," said Vivek Badrinath, Director General, GSMA.

Scam threat

The board also addressed the rise in digital scams, an issue that has grown more urgent as fraud techniques become more sophisticated. Mobile companies are increasing network-based detection, intelligence sharing and tools designed to identify and block fraudulent communications, the organisation said.

It argued that telecoms groups cannot tackle the issue alone. Regulators, technology companies and financial institutions were identified as part of a broader response, reflected in the GSMA's United Against Scams programme.

Artificial intelligence and deepfakes were cited as new risks to trust and participation in the digital economy. The discussion reflected wider concern across the telecoms sector that scam prevention is shifting from a customer service issue to a broader economic and public policy challenge.

6G standards

Another part of the meeting focused on how national markets and companies should contribute expertise, innovation and intellectual property to 6G development. Participants backed the continuation of global standards, which the industry body said have delivered broad benefits since the 4G era.

Spectrum harmonisation was also described as a key issue for affordability and scale. According to the organisation, countries representing more than 80% of the world's population now support mobile use of the upper 6 GHz band following its identification at WRC-23.

The upper 6 GHz band could support channel bandwidths of 200-400 MHz, which are expected to be needed as mobile networks evolve towards 6G. The discussion suggested the next phase of competition in mobile will depend not only on deployment, but also on alignment around standards, spectrum and device costs for billions of users still offline.