LONDON - Monday, May 26th 2014 [ME NewsWire]
(BUSINESS
WIRE) The GSMA today announced that senior leaders from nine major
mobile operator groups, accounting for over half a billion mobile
connections across 48 countries in Africa and the Middle East, are
individually undertaking initiatives designed to reduce the cost of
roaming for consumers across both regions. The nine operator groups are
committed to a range of roaming initiatives that, in addition to
addressing pricing, will improve regional connectivity and mobility by
increasing roaming footprints to provide greater customer choice, with a
particular focus on improving routes for pre-paid customers. These
combined efforts will enable consumers in Africa and the Middle East to
use their mobile phones with greater confidence and predictability
whilst travelling.
“International and regional mobility is a
critical factor in increasing trade and cross-border economic
cooperation, which is a government priority across Africa and the Middle
East,” said Anne Bouverot, Director General, GSMA. “The initiatives of
these nine operators are intended to serve to increase connectivity and
make mobile more affordable for subscribers throughout these regions,
encouraging greater adoption and usage of mobile services and enabling
important socio-economic benefits.”
As part of their work, the
operators will look at a range of factors that affect roaming prices,
with the aim of improving technical efficiencies and reducing costs. The
senior leaders from the nine mobile operator groups supporting these
initiatives are:
Christian de Faria, CEO Africa, Bharti Airtel
Ahmad Julfar, Group CEO, Etisalat Group
Arthur Bastings, EVP Africa, Millicom
Sifiso Dabengwa, CEO and President, MTN Group
Dr. Nasser Marafih, Group CEO, Ooredoo Group
Marc Rennard, Senior Executive Vice President, Africa, Middle East and Asia, Orange
Abdulaziz A. Alsugair, Chairman and Managing Director, STC Group
Serpil Timuray, CEO, Africa, Middle East and Asia Pacific Region, Vodafone Group
Scott Gegenheimer, CEO, Zain Group
GSMA
research has shown emerging markets, including many countries in Africa
and the Middle East, are now the major engines of mobile connection and
subscriber growth. The rapidly increasing pace of mobile adoption has
delivered huge economic benefits for the regions, with the mobile
industry directly contributing US $60 billion to the sub-Saharan African
economy, or six per cent of GDP and US $132 billion to the economies of
the Arab States, or approximately 5.5 per cent of total GDP.
Bouverot
continued, “Mobile is focused on connecting the billions of unconnected
around the world, providing access to critical communications,
information and services and offering new economic opportunities. Market
dynamics are delivering more affordable roaming prices and better value
for consumers. Within both regions this will be driven in particular by
the move from voice to more price elastic data usage.”
-ENDS-
Notes to Editors
Unless
otherwise stated, market data is sourced from GSMA reports including
The Arab States Mobile Observatory:
http://www.gsma.com/publicpolicy/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/GSMA_MobileObservatory_ArabStates2013.pdf
and Mobile Economy Sub-Saharan Africa Report 2013
http://www.gsma.com/newsroom/gsma-mobile-economy-sub-saharan-africa-report-2013/#.U0bZn_ldV40
About the GSMA
The
GSMA represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide. Spanning
more than 220 countries, the GSMA unites nearly 800 of the world’s
mobile operators with more than 250 companies in the broader mobile
ecosystem, including handset makers, software companies, equipment
providers and Internet companies, as well as organisations in industry
sectors such as financial services, healthcare, media, transport and
utilities. The GSMA also produces industry-leading events such as the
Mobile World Congress and Mobile Asia Expo.
For more information, please visit the GSMA corporate website at www.gsma.com. Follow the GSMA on Twitter: @GSMA.
Contacts
For the GSMA
Charlie Meredith-Hardy
+44 7917 298428
CMeredith-Hardy@webershandwick.com
GSMA Press Office
press@gsma.com
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