Users May Delete the App Anytime; App Activates Only After Voluntary Registration: Scindia

Sanchar Saathi is Not Surveillance, it is a Citizen Safety Tool Rooted in Jan Bhaagidaari: Scindia

Union Minister for Communications and Development of the Northeastern Region, Shri Jyotiraditya Scindia, today clarified the Sanchar Saathi App mandate, emphasising that Sanchar Saathi is completely democratic and fully voluntary. He added that users can activate the app at their convenience to access its benefits, and they may deactivate or delete it from their devices at any time.

A Citizen-First, Privacy-Safe Platform

Shri Scindia highlighted that protecting consumers is the Government’s foremost responsibility, and Sanchar Saathi has been designed to empower every mobile user. “Sanchar Saathi is both an app and a portal that enables citizens to secure themselves through transparent, easy-to-use tools. It is a significant step toward Jan Bhagidari, where citizens actively participate in protecting their own digital ecosystem,” he said.

Impact and Measurable Results of Sanchar Saathi

Since its launch, Sanchar Saathi has delivered strong results:

• 21.5 crore+ portal visits
• 1.4 crore+ app downloads
• 1.43 crore+ mobile connections disconnected by citizens selecting “Not My Number”
• 26 lakh lost/stolen mobile phones traced, with 7.23 lakh successfully returned
• 40.96 lakh fraudulent connections disconnected based on citizen reports
• 6.2 lakh fraud-linked IMEIs blocked
• ₹475 crore in potential financial losses prevented through the Financial Fraud Risk Indicator (FRI)

Cybersecurity and Citizen Protection at the Core

Sanchar Saathi allows users to report suspected fraud directly from call logs, enabling informed citizens to actively protect less-aware users.

Scindia concluded “Digital security for every citizen is our topmost priority. Sanchar Saathi is voluntary, transparent, and designed solely to protect India’s mobile consumers while advancing the nation’s cybersecurity. Users have complete freedom to activate,  or delete the app at any time, ensuring safety without compromising privacy.”

Sarwat Zeeshan, Telecom Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Government initiatives, enterprise digital transformation efforts, and growing demand for high-performance connectivity needed for evolving applications areas like smart manufacturing, autonomous mobility, cloud gaming, etc are accelerating standalone 5G deployments and driving 5G service adoption in the region.

Governments and telecom regulatory bodies in Australia, China, India, South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan have launched national 5G strategies/action plans, outlining the vision and guidelines to establish 5G ecosystems and drive 5G coverage expansions. These action plans include supporting initiatives such as public sector investment in 5G applications, favorable tax incentives, forums for industry-government collaboration, promotion of 5G led-technological innovations, and license arrangements to enhance spectrum use and reuse.

Zeeshan continues: “China will remain the largest 5G market in the world through the forecast period with about 75% of its total mobile subscriptions to be on 5G network by 2029, primarily driven by investments and the regulator’s efforts to expand 5G service coverage to rural areas and industrial parks, and boost 5G adoption.”

For instance, China had deployed about 4.2 million 5G base stations in 2024 and increased the count to 4.6 million by the end of September 2025, further enhancing its network capacity and reach.

The ongoing 5G network expansions by telecom operators in APAC markets will also lend traction to the market. According to GSMA, telcos in the APAC region are planning to invest $254 billion in network infrastructure through 2030, with the major focus on 5G deployments.

These 5G network expansions present revenue generation opportunity for telcos, by allowing them to generate higher ARPUs by selling premium 5G mobile plans and increase revenues by offering enterprise connectivity solutions such as private 5G. The synergies between 5G’s speed and reliability and emerging technologies such as AI, data analytics, and M2M/IoT will allow telcos to be innovative and grow their customer base in industry verticals like health, manufacturing, and mining.

Zeeshan concludes: “APAC has become the center of the technological race for 5G+ supremacy. South Korea, Japan, and China have gone beyond just the deployment of 5G, to the development of the wider 5G ecosystem, thereby supporting the manufacturing and IT industries in these countries and driving IoT/M2M opportunities.”

INDIA, November 11, 2025 – India’s smartphone market reached a five-year high in the festive third quarter of 2025 (3Q25), growing 4.3% year-over-year (YoY) to 48 million units, according to the International Data Corporation ’s (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker. The growth was driven by strong demand for premium smartphones, supported by both new launches and previous-generation models. However, momentum was offset by weaker demand for entry-level Android smartphones and rising average selling prices (ASPs), highlighting the market’s continued shift toward higher-value segments.

Apple recorded its highest-ever quarterly shipments in India in the third quarter of 2025 (3Q25), reaching 5 million units and securing the fourth position in the market for the first time. The brand achieved a strong 25.6% YoY growth, driven by sustained demand across both new and existing models. The iPhone 16 remained the most-shipped smartphone in India during the quarter, contributing 5% of total market shipments, while the newly launched iPhone 17 series and iPhone Air saw a record-breaking debut, accounting for 16% of Apple’s Q3 shipments—the strongest launch-quarter performance for any iPhone since 2021.

Growth during India’s festive quarter was driven by a combination of market stimulators, including attractive pricing and deep discounting, flexible payment options, trade-in and upgrade programs, and promotional offers such as cashbacks and bank deals across both online and offline channels. “Notably, the eTailers relied heavily on discount-led sales of previous-generation flagship models from Apple and Samsung, which significantly boosted overall volumes,” said Aditya Rampal, senior research analyst, Devices Research, IDC Asia/Pacific.

Key Highlights for 3Q25:

Smartphone average selling prices (ASPs) surged to a record US$294 in 3Q25, growing 13.7% year-over-year (YoY), driven by strong demand for premium and higher-spec models.

• Entry-Level (Sub–US$100): The entry-level segment witnessed strong growth of 35.3% YoY, expanding its share to 16%, up from 13% a year ago. Xiaomi, realme, and vivo led the category, together accounting for over 50% of shipments.

• Mass-Budget (US$100–US$200): Shipments in the mass-budget segment declined 8.8% YoY, with market share dropping from 45% to 40%. vivo, OPPO, and realme continued to dominate this range, with the OPPO A5 and vivo T4X emerging as top-selling models.

• Entry-Premium (US$200–US$400): The entry-premium segment saw a 4.9% YoY decline in shipments, as its share decreased from 29% to 26%. vivo, OPPO, and Samsung led the category, followed closely by Motorola, whose Edge 60 Fusion was the highest-shipped model in this price band.

• Mid-Premium (US$400–US$600): The mid-premium segment grew 10.7% YoY, with share rising from 3% to 4% in 3Q25. Samsung climbed to the top position, followed by OPPO and OnePlus. The Galaxy S24 contributed nearly one-quarter of total shipments in this range, driven by steep discounting on eTailer platforms.

• Premium (US$600–US$800): The premium segment recorded robust growth of 43.3% YoY, as its share increased from 4% to 6%. Apple’s iPhone 16, iPhone 15, and iPhone 17 collectively made up over 70% of shipments in this category.

• Super-Premium (US$800 and above): The super-premium segment posted the highest growth of 52.9% YoY, with share rising from 6% to 8%. Apple regained leadership from Samsung, with 66% and 31% share, respectively. Key models driving the segment included the iPhone 16, Galaxy S24 Ultra, Galaxy Z Fold7, iPhone 16 Pro, and Galaxy S25 Ultra.

Qualcomm-based smartphone shipments grew 17.9% YoY, capturing a 29.2% market share in 3Q25. The growth was driven by shipments of Xiaomi/POCO/Nothing devices. In contrast, MediaTek’s share declined to 46.0%, down from 53.1% a year ago, following a 9.7% YoY drop in shipments.

The offline channel continued its growth momentum in 3Q25, with shipments rising 21.8% YoY and its market share expanding to 56.4%, up from 48.3% a year ago. Conversely, the online channel’s share declined to 43.6%, from 51.7% in 3Q24, with shipments falling 12.0% YoY. Sustained offline growth over recent quarters was driven by festive season schemes and discounts, attractive trade partner margins for achieving sales targets, and strategic price adjustments by brands. While major eTailers also offered similar promotions, the deepest discounts were concentrated in the premium device segment, which in turn softened demand for entry-level and lower mid-tier Android smartphones.

Continuing its strong performance, vivo retained the top position for the seventh consecutive quarter, supported by a comprehensive product strategy spanning multiple price segments and a balanced presence across online and offline channels. OPPO moved up to the second position, overtaking Samsung, driven by aggressive offline channel initiatives and trade schemes. Among the top brands, Motorola recorded the highest YoY growth at 52.4%, followed by Apple, which grew 25.6% YoY, reflecting the sustained demand for its premium lineup.

“Aggressive festive promotions and flexible financing options drove strong shipment volumes in Q3 2025. However, consumer demand remained concentrated in the premium segment, leaving the mass market under pressure and resulting in a significant inventory build-up heading into Q4 2025,” said Upasana Joshi, senior research manager, Devices Research, IDC Asia Pacific. “This surplus has been further exacerbated by rising component costs—particularly in memory—and currency fluctuations, prompting brands to raise prices post-Diwali. As a result, IDC forecasts a year-over-year decline in shipments for Q4 2025, leading to an overall annual contraction, with total smartphone shipments expected to fall below 150 million units for the year.”

November 5, 2025, Tokyo: GSMA today published ‘Japan’s Digital Nation: Pathways for Transformation’, a new report that assesses Japan’s readiness to deliver on its digital-transformation ambitions and outlines policy imperatives to close remaining gaps. Using the GSMA Intelligence Digital Nations Index, the study positions Japan as a “Leading Digital Nation”, third highest in Asia Pacific, with an overall score of 76, and highlights the country’s global leadership in data governance and steadily improving cybersecurity posture.

While applauding strong foundations in infrastructure and people, the report warns that persistent challenges in translating world-class research into market-driven innovation could constrain Japan’s long-term competitiveness. It recommends a focused innovation strategy to commercialise next-generation networking concepts such as Innovative Optical and Wireless Network (IOWN) and Open RAN, deeper investment in cybersecurity resilience, and strategic human-capital programmes to expand the pool of advanced AI and cloud specialists.

“Japan has laid much of the groundwork for a truly digital society, yet our findings show that bold, coordinated action is now required to convert technical excellence into transformative, economy-wide outcomes,” said Julian Gorman, Head of Asia Pacific, GSMA. “By prioritising innovation-friendly regulation, reinforcing cyber resilience and deepening its digital-skills pipeline, Japan can move from leading to setting the global benchmark for digital nations.”

The GSMA Highlights Three Policy Imperatives in the Report:

1. Focused Innovation Strategy – Build on network-technology leadership (IOWN, Open RAN) by channelling venture capital and flexible data-governance tools into platform and service innovation that can scale commercially.

2. Completing Security Leadership – Couple Japan’s rapidly rising security score with sustained investment in critical-infrastructure resilience standards and advanced cybersecurity-talent development to achieve world-class status.

3. Strategic Human Capital – In an ageing society, widen carrier-led digital-inclusion programmes and systematically upskill professionals in AI and cloud disciplines to ensure an inclusive, future-ready workforce.

Further Insights from Japan’s Digital Nation

• Continuous investment keeps Japan on track for 6G-ready networks, but regulatory and financial support will be essential to commercialise concepts such as the Innovative Optical and Wireless Network (IOWN).

• Strong telecom R&D is not yet matched by a dynamic start-up ecosystem; streamlining digital R&D toward market applications and exploiting initiatives like GSMA Open Gateway are critical next steps.

• Japan’s advocacy of “Data Free Flow with Trust” cements its regional leadership, yet generative-AI use cases demand flexible, future-ready privacy rules.

• Active participation in the GSMA Asia Pacific Cross-Sector Anti-Scam Taskforce (ACAST) and new cyber-resilience mandates have strengthened defences, but continued investment and talent development remain priorities.

• High baseline digital literacy is offset by shortages in specialist skills; expanded upskilling and inclusion programmes are required to sustain Society 5.0 goals.

The findings were discussed in-depth at a GSMA hosted event on Tuesday 4, November 2025, in Tokyo, where Japanese policy makers, industry leaders and key experts explored how to advance Japan’s digital-nation journey.

The ‘Japan’s Digital Nation: Pathways for Transformation’ report can be downloaded here.

Titled Driving Digital Transformation of the Economy in Uganda – Opportunities, Policy Reforms and the Role of Mobile, the report outlines how collaborative policy action can accelerate inclusive growth and ensure every Ugandan benefits from the digital economy envisioned in the National Development Plan IV (NDP IV) and the Digital Uganda Vision 2040 (DUV).

Advancing Uganda’s Prosperity Through Digital Inclusion

Uganda’s mobile sector is a cornerstone of the nation’s digital transformation – connecting people to education, healthcare, and financial services, and creating new opportunities for entrepreneurs across both urban and rural communities. It also provides the digital backbone for growth in key sectors such as agriculture, tourism, manufacturing, and services.

According to Uganda’s Digital Transformation Roadmap, the ICT industry contributes 9% to national GDP, employs over 2.3 million Ugandans, and continues to expand at an impressive annual rate of 14.8%.

GSMA analysis shows that Uganda now has 96% 4G population coverage and 11.46 million unique mobile internet users, equivalent to 22% of the total population and 48% of adults. This progress supports the country’s NDP IV 2030 goals of achieving 70% national broadband coverage and 45% internet usage.

However, three in four Ugandans who live within mobile broadband coverage still do not use it – a usage gap driven by barriers such as the high cost of entry-level smartphones, unreliable energy supply, sector taxes that impact affordability and limited digital skills. Overcoming these challenges is vital to ensuring that every Ugandan can connect, participate, and prosper in the country’s digital future.

Unlocking the Next Phase of Uganda’s Digital Transformation

Uganda has already established solid foundations for its digital economy, with clear strategies under the NDP IV, the DUV, and the roadmap. The GSMA notes that the country’s policy direction is well aligned with its ambitions, but reaching the next stage of digital adoption will require greater policy predictability, affordable access, and long-term investment in innovation and skills.

The report calls for a renewed partnership between government, industry and development partners to ensure that every Ugandan can benefit from digital progress. This collaboration is centred on five priority reforms designed to expand connectivity, enhance inclusion and strengthen Uganda’s long-term competitiveness in the digital age.

Five Priorities to Empower Citizens and Grow the Digital Economy
The GSMA calls for a people-centred policy framework that promotes affordability, innovation and digital skills. Five proposed key priorities would help Uganda achieve its NDP IV and DUV objectives:

• Create a stable investment environment: Amend the coverage obligation requirements in the National Telecom Operator license from 5-years to 20-years and a phased investment rollout programme agreed with the operators, review signal strength measures, and formally designate telecom infrastructure as Critical National Infrastructure to address energy supply and infrastructure security.

• Accelerate the use of digital technology to increase domestic revenue mobilisation and optimise taxation to increase digital affordability and inclusion: Remove the 12% excise duty on data services, parity for mobile money with electronic transaction withdrawal levies (0.5%), and exempt advanced telecoms equipment and services (e.g. 4G and 5G) from 18% VAT on imported services.

• Implement measures on entry-level smartphone affordability and other demand-side reforms: Eliminate entry-level smartphone taxes, fast track the Digital Skills Framework, cybersecurity, and use embedded solutions and APIs to increase digital adoption.

• Strengthen energy and infrastructure coordination: Implement a joint ICT-Energy master plan to ensure reliable power supply and encourage renewable energy solutions.

• Modernise regulation for digital: Update regulatory framework, including National AI Strategy and digital policies such as cloud and data location and cross-border transfer.

Delivering Shared Prosperity

According to GSMA modelling, implementing these reforms by 2030 could:

• Expand coverage: Extend 4G population coverage from 96% to 99%, achievable with an investment of just USD 10 million, compared with the current USD 550 million required under existing policy conditions.

• Boost connectivity: Connect an additional 4 million Ugandans to the internet, reaching 19 million users in total (32% of the population and 61% of adults), and reduce the usage gap by 7%.

• Drive economic growth: Create 1.79 million new jobs, add UGX 14.6 trillion in economic value, and generate UGX 2.1 trillion in additional tax revenue through increased digitalisation across key sectors including agriculture, manufacturing, trade, transport, and public services.

• Enable sustainable fiscal gains: Increased mobile data usage across all sectors could deliver UGX 3.1 trillion in additional tax revenue – far outweighing the estimated UGX 370 billion loss from reducing mobile sector taxation, providing government with more resources to reinvest in national priorities.

Angela Wamola, Head of Africa at GSMA, said “Uganda’s digital transformation is about people – enabling every citizen, entrepreneur and community to thrive in a connected economy. By making access more affordable and policies more predictable, Uganda can ensure that digital progress delivers for everyone.”

Samsung’s AI Factory will integrate every aspect of semiconductor manufacturing, from design and process to equipment, operations and quality control, into a single intelligent network, where AI continuously analyzes, predicts and optimizes production environments in real time.

The Samsung AI Factory goes beyond traditional automation, serving as an intelligent manufacturing platform that connects and interprets the immense data generated across chip design, production and equipment operations.

From 25+ Year Collaboration to a Stronger AI Chip Alliance

Samsung and NVIDIA celebrate a collaboration that spans more than 25 years, beginning with Samsung’s DRAM powering NVIDIA’s early graphics cards and extending through foundry partnership.

In addition to their ongoing collaborations, Samsung and NVIDIA are also working together on HBM4. With incredibly high bandwidth and energy efficiency, Samsung’s advanced HBM solutions are expected to help accelerate the development of future AI applications and form a critical foundation for manufacturing infrastructure driven by these technologies.

Built with the company’s 6th-generation 10-nanometer (nm)-class DRAM and a 4nm logic base die, Samsung HBM4’s processing speeds can reach 11 gigabits-per-second (Gbps), far exceeding the JEDEC standard of 8Gbps.

Samsung will also continue to deliver next-generation memory solutions, including HBM, GDDR, and SOCAMM, as well as foundry services, driving innovation and scalability across the global AI value chain.

Accelerating the Transition to Intelligence-Driven Manufacturing

Over the next several years, Samsung plans to implement NVIDIA accelerated computing to scale its AI Factory and accelerate digital twin manufacturing powered by NVIDIA Omniverse libraries across one of the world’s most comprehensive chip manufacturing infrastructures ― spanning memory, logic, foundry and advanced packaging.

Leveraging NVIDIA cuLitho and CUDA-X libraries for its optical proximity correction (OPC) process, Samsung has achieved a 20x gain in computational lithography performance. As a critical step in accurate wafer patterning, the enhanced OPC enables AI to predict and correct circuit pattern variations with far greater speed and precision, reducing development cycles.

For electronic design automation (EDA), the companies are collaborating with EDA partners to develop next-generation GPU-accelerated EDA tools and design technologies.

Using NVIDIA Omniverse libraries, Samsung is building digital twins that can visualize entire fab operations virtually. These virtual environments identify anomalies, perform predictive maintenance and optimize production before changes are applied in the physical world.

Samsung plans to extend its AI Factory infrastructure to its global manufacturing hubs, including Taylor, U.S., bringing greater intelligence and agility to its worldwide semiconductor operations.

Building Out the AI Ecosystem Across Generative AI and Robotics

Samsung has been developing proprietary AI models that power more than 400 million of its devices. These models are also integrated into the company’s internal manufacturing systems, driving intelligence and innovation across its production processes.

Built on NVIDIA accelerated computing and the Megatron framework, Samsung’s AI models demonstrate advanced reasoning capabilities that deliver exceptional performance in real-time translation, multilingual conversations and intelligent summarization.

In intelligent robotics, Samsung is leveraging the NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell Server Edition platform to advance manufacturing automation and humanoid robotics, accelerating adoption and enhancing autonomy in next-generation physical AI applications.

Samsung is also working with a range of NVIDIA AI platforms to connect virtual simulation and real-world robot data, enabling robots to understand their surroundings, make decisions and operate intelligently in real-life settings. Using the NVIDIA Jetson Thor robotic platform, Samsung is accelerating real-time AI reasoning, task execution and safety controls in intelligent robots.

Samsung plans to extend the use of these technologies into its AI Factory infrastructure and across its broader business areas, building out an intelligent manufacturing ecosystem that brings together AI and robotics.

Connecting Consumers and Industries Through AI

Samsung is also working with NVIDIA, Korean telecom operators, academia and research institutions to foster collaboration on AI-RAN development.

AI-RAN is a key next-generation communication technology that integrates AI computing power into mobile network capabilities. It allows agentic and physical AI ― such as robots, drones and industrial automation equipment ― to intelligently operate, sense, process data and perform inferences in real-time at the network edge, closer to the points where physical AI connect to the network. This AI-powered mobile network will play a crucial role as a neural network essential in widespread adoption of physical AI.

This new initiative builds upon Samsung and NVIDIA’s collaboration last year, which successfully completed the proof-of-concept of AI-RAN through combining Samsung’s software-based network and NVIDIA GPU. The companies will continue to strengthen their ongoing collaboration on AI-RAN.

India’s three largest mobile network operators – Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio and Vodafone Idea – today provided an update on how they are further strengthening their efforts to tackle digital scams, through the GSMA Open Gateway initiative.

While the three operators are running a series of individual programmes to help keep their customers safe from scams, today they outlined how they are also working together as a mobile ecosystem, through the GSMA Open Gateway initiative, to provide banks and other online platforms with new, federated ways to verify customer identities and combat digital fraud.

The updates come as the GSMA published new research at India Mobile Congress showing that digital scams are an escalating concern for consumers across India, with more than half of Indian consumers (53%) having been scammed, with 10% having fallen victim in the past year. The GSMA commissioned “India Consumer Scam Report 2025”, authored by advisory firm Armidale, shows that growth in digital scams and fraud is eroding digital trust.

Indian Operators Provide GSMA Open Gateway Update at India Mobile Congress

Speaking at India Mobile Congress 2025, the operators outlined plans to provide enterprise developers at banks and online retailers with federated access to new services including the SIM Swap and Number Verification APIs (Application Programmable Interface). Federated CAMARA APIs, certified by the GSMA, help developers build services that work with every participating mobile network, while allowing each operator to keep control of its data, policy and revenue. The software provides an interface, interoperability and global cross-country coverage, so digital enterprises can easily and securely connect their services to the rich, intelligent functionality that mobile operator networks can provide.

Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio and Vodafone Idea have already launched the SIM Swap API, which help banks prevent account takeover attacks, where fraudsters use social engineering techniques and stolen personal data to take control of the account owner’s SIM card.

All three operators also plan to launch a CAMARA-based Number Verification API before the end of 2025. This API is a more secure replacement for SMS One-Time Passwords (OTPs). It allows businesses to verify a mobile user’s identity by matching their phone number against real-time network data to protect Indians against digital scams, simultaneously ensuring a seamless customer experience.

GSMA Launches India Consumer Scam Survey

The GSMA commissioned “India Consumer Scam Report 2025” published today, also highlights why the mobile industry is looking to work more closely with financial services and online retail firms to tackle scams and fraud by building new innovative services.

The report found widespread concerns over scams, as well as significant financial and emotional impact on victims. It revealed:

• Victimisation: 10% percent of respondents were scammed in the past year;
• Financial harm: 14% of victims lost material sums that still trouble them.
• Digital trust: 58% of Indian consumers said they are “very worried” about scams, with 84% believing they are increasing. Some 42% believe the threat is “increasing rapidly.”
• Attack vectors: Email, SMS and Messaging Apps are the biggest channels for scammers; however, Dating App and QR code scams are more prominent in India than other parts of Asia. (Online dating scam victims: 14% vs. 7% ASEAN Average and QR Code scams: 18% vs. 10% ASEAN average).

GSMA Open Gateway Hackathon: India Connected – APIs for a Billion Lives

India’s three largest mobile operators have also teamed up with Nokia and the GSMA, to an inaugural GSMA Open Gateway Hackathon at India Mobile Congress to accelerate development of new innovations and network API based services using network capabilities.

The hackathon entitled “India Connected – APIs for a Billion Lives” has received more than 2,300 registrations and 400 ideas, or solution concepts, from developers, startups, and innovators with 100 finalists invited to attend and build new API-powered solutions to address real-world challenges across India’s diverse landscape. Using Open Gateway APIs, and Nokia’s Network as Code platform, participants will create services that improve lives, unlock new revenue streams, and demonstrate the transformative potential of network intelligence.

In addition to developing new services that prevent fraud, participants are invited to develop and showcase new innovations, using Nokia’s Network as Code platform, that show how network API services can support financial inclusion, healthcare access, emergency services, agritech and rural connectivity, education and digital inclusion in India. Previous GSMA Open Gateway hackathons in Barcelona and China have led to the development of new services including an application called, “On Time” that used location and population density APIs to analyse real-time passenger information, over-crowding and delays on Catalonia’s public transport system. In Asia, China Telecom helped tackle digital exclusion by developing TeleNavi, a voice-only intelligent location technology to help the elderly hail taxis.

Julian Gorman, Head of Asia Pacific, GSMA, said: “India is the world’s second largest mobile market and home to a significant developer community. Mobile operator commitment to GSMA Open Gateway innovation can further accelerate India’s digital transformation, creating secure, interoperable services that protect consumer trust and create new revenue opportunities. This week’s hackathon and joint announcement are a symbol of collaboration that will collectively combat the scam economy. It will further support the creation of new innovations and network API-based services that can address real-world business and societal challenges to support India’s role as a global telecoms statesman.”

Sharat Sinha, CEO & Director, Airtel Business, said: “For over a year, Airtel has been at the forefront of combating spam, leveraging advanced network intelligence and artificial intelligence to restore consumer trust and ensure business continuity. The AI-powered spam defense and fraud detection solutions have already demonstrated significant efficacy, safeguarding over millions of customers by blocking over 53 billion unwanted calls, 2.5 billion SMSs and close to 4 lakh fraudulent links. Building on this established success, we are now furthering this mission through a strategic partnership with GSMA and other leading telecom providers, enabling access to our network APIs. This collaboration is designed to empower enterprises, enabling them to fortify their own protective measures for both their operations and their customer base, thereby fostering a safer, spam-free digital India.”

Avneesh Khosla, CMO, Vodafone Idea, said: “Consumers are at the centre of every innovation we deliver. Network APIs have the ability to redefine digital trust by bringing unmatched safety, transparency, and simplicity to everyday online experiences. From protecting individuals against fraud to enabling frictionless logins, these APIs ensure that people enjoy both security and convenience without compromise. Together with GSMA and our ecosystem partners, we are committed to empowering consumers with solutions that make their digital life safer, more inclusive, and truly effortless.”

Shkumbin Hamiti, Vice President and Head of Network Monetization Platform, Cloud and Network Services at Nokia, said: “We’re honoured that Nokia’s Network as Code has been chosen as the exclusive platform for the India Mobile Congress Hackathon. Partnering with GSMA Open Gateway and India’s top MNOs, Nokia is excited to show how Network as Code empowers India’s vibrant developer ecosystem to build new API-powered solutions that combat cybercrime, strengthen digital trust and address a wide range of real-world challenges.”

The Indian initiative forms part of the global GSMA Open Gateway programme, which now includes more than 79 mobile operator groups representing 291 networks and nearly 80% of mobile connections worldwide. By bringing together operators from around the world, the GSMA Open Gateway initiative facilitates the design of digital products capable of operating seamlessly on all devices, regardless of the country or operator. The service APIs are available through the CAMARA repository, an open-source project by the Linux Foundation and a fundamental part of the GSMA Open Gateway initiative.

23 September 2025, Kuala Lumpur: The ASEAN markets are at a digital crossroads, with mobile technologies set to shape the region’s next wave of growth. A new GSMA report calls on governments and industry to close critical policy, infrastructure and skills gaps to deliver on ASEAN’s digital ambitions and the ASEAN Connectivity Strategic Plan.Digital Nations 2025: Achieving the ASEAN Connectivity Strategic Plan, calls on governments and industry to close critical policy, infrastructure and skills gaps to deliver on ASEAN’s digital ambitions and the ASEAN Connectivity Strategic Plan.

Launched today at the GSMA Digital Nation Summit Kuala Lumpur (ASEAN Edition), the study sets out three priorities to accelerate progress: boosting investment in 5G, fibre and cloud infrastructure; harmonising data, trade and cyber-security frameworks to enable seamless cross-border services; and strengthening regional and international cooperation to share expertise and build capacity.

Tracing the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)’s transformation since 2000 the report, based on the GSMA Intelligence Digital Nations Index, highlights the bloc’s economic rise from USD 737 billion to more than USD 4 trillion in 2024 – growth that could be multiplied through digital innovation.

In parallel, GSMA also announced its new flagship convening for the region, M360 ASEAN, which will be held next year on 9-10 September 2026 at the Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur, under the theme ‘Aligning Policy, Power & Progress’.

Julian Gorman, Head of Asia Pacific, GSMA, said: “ASEAN has already delivered a five-fold expansion in economic output this century, yet our Digital Nations research shows that progress is uneven. Singapore leads the 2025 ASEAN digital readiness index, with scores across the region showing a broad range of preparedness levels. ASEAN has advanced in digital adoption, but gaps in readiness, regulation, and skills remain. Member states should strengthen digital ecosystems by addressing these challenges.

The Kuala Lumpur edition of the Digital Nation Summit (DNS), supported by MCMC, brings together policymakers, industry leaders and regional institutions to directly address these gaps. Sessions are focused on investment, skills, and innovation priorities, with outcomes designed to inform broader policy conversations – including those to be advanced at M360 ASEAN 2026.

The GSMA’s Chief Financial Officer, Louise Easterbrook, said in today’s opening keynote:“The ASEAN digital economy is a story of explosive growth and boundless potential. But to maintain this competitive advantage the region must further refine and accelerate its coordinated approach to economic policy and infrastructure investment. The choices we make today on affordability, skills and trust are vital if we are to digitally transform the day-to-day lives of the 680 million people in the region. We need governments to be the architects, the mobile industry to be the engineers and innovators, and all of us, as a community, to work together at every level, to build this future.”

The report stresses that converting today’s four-trillion-dollar economy into tomorrow’s digitally powered opportunity demands concerted action on three fronts. First, the region must channel far greater investment into 5G, fibre and cloud infrastructure. Second, it should align data, trade and cyber-security rules so that services flow seamlessly across borders. Third, deeper international and intra-ASEAN co-operation is required to share expertise and build capacity where it is most needed. Collective progress on these priorities will enable every community, business and government in South-East Asia to realise the full promise of the digital age.

The study notes that 2025 is a pivotal year, with several existing development frameworks concluding and a new ASEAN Connectivity Strategic Plan 2026–2035 in preparation. Implementing the report’s recommendations, GSMA Intelligence contends, will be critical to meeting the ambitions of the forthcoming plan and the wider ASEAN Community Vision 2045.

Key findings from Digital Nations 2025

• ASEAN’s GDP expanded from USD 737 billion in 2000 to just over USD 4 trillion in 2024.

• Singapore leads the 2025 Digital Nations Index with an aggregate score of 88 / 100; Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand each score above 60.

• On average, the “people” component records the strongest performance across ASEAN; “infrastructure” and “innovation” remain comparatively weaker.

• The region faces a mobile-internet usage gap of approximately 285 million people, representing more than two in every five citizens.

• GSMA Intelligence sets out three principal measures to improve digital readiness: bridge the infrastructure gap; accelerate regional policy harmonisation; and leverage international cooperation mechanisms.

Building on the momentum of DNS Kuala Lumpur, GSMA confirmed that M360 ASEAN 2026 will take place on 9-10 September at the Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur. Under the theme ‘Aligning Policy, Power & Progress’, the event will explore how Southeast Asia can strengthen digital sovereignty and secure infrastructure. The programme will convene telecom leaders, policymakers and regional institutions to translate ASEAN’s digital ambitions into cohesive, future-ready outcomes.