5G connections in Asia-Pacific are expected to increase fourfold from this year’s level to 400 million in 2025. At the same time, the industry’s consolidation and the metaverse are gathering momentum in the region, according to a report by the GSM Association (GSMA).
GSMA’s “Mobile Economy Asia Pacific 2022” report indicates that 96% of the region’s population is covered by mobile broadband networks. However, only 44% of the population are using mobile internet services. This gap reflects the lack of digital skills, affordability as well as online safety concerns.
“Addressing the usage gap and extending the benefits of the internet to more people in society is critical,” said Julian Gorman, head of Asia-Pacific at GSMA.
“It will require a concerted effort by a broad range of stakeholders, working together with mobile operators and other ecosystem players, to drive adoption and overcome the barriers we see today.
The report says mobile technologies and services generated 5% of the region’s GDP in 2021, which equates to US$770 billion of economic value.
This ecosystem supported around 8.8 million jobs in 2021 and made a substantial contribution to the funding of the public sector, with around $80 billion raised through taxation.
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