Leading Operators across Asia Commit to GSMA Humanitarian Connectivity Charter

KDDI, KT Corporation, NTT DOCOMO, INC and SK Telecom Become Latest Signatories of Humanitarian Connectivity Charter

SHANGHAI - Thursday, June 30th 2016 [ME NewsWire]

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Today at Mobile World Congress Shanghai, the GSMA announced that KDDI, KT Corporation, NTT DOCOMO, INC and SK Telecom have become the most recent mobile network operators (MNOs) to sign up to the GSMA’s Humanitarian Connectivity Charter. Through the Charter, MNOs commit to a common set of principles designed to create a more coordinated and predictable response to disasters and humanitarian crises.

“The unique scale and reach of mobile networks can help meet the challenges faced by humanitarian responders,” said Mats Granryd, Director General, GSMA. “The GSMA is focused on building on the momentum of the Humanitarian Connectivity Charter, which supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to build resilient infrastructure and make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.”

The Humanitarian Connectivity Charter, an initiative launched by the GSMA at Mobile World Congress 2015, unites the industry under a set of principles that aim to harness the power of mobile technology to support people affected by humanitarian emergencies. These operators join the more than 60 MNOs in over 50 countries that are already backing the Charter.

The Charter is also supported by the United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance, the Emergency Telecommunications Cluster and the International Federation of the Red Cross. The principles of the Charter focus on enhanced coordination, standardised preparedness and response activities and strengthened partnerships between industry, government and humanitarian organisations.

“During times of crisis, good communication is vital and access to mobile networks can be a matter of life and death. The collective work of the Humanitarian Connectivity Charter signatories is focused on enabling better-prepared and more resilient networks and facilitating more effective coordination with government and humanitarian response agencies,” concluded Granryd. “Countries in Asia remain some of the most vulnerable to natural disasters globally, underscoring the need for renewed and coordinated efforts to reduce risk and improve reliance.”

For more information on the Humanitarian Connectivity Charter, please visit www.gsma.com/mobilefordevelopment/programmes/disaster-response/humanitarian-connectivity-charter.

About the GSMA

The GSMA represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide, uniting nearly 800 operators with almost 300 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, including handset and device makers, software companies, equipment providers and internet companies, as well as organisations in adjacent industry sectors. The GSMA also produces industry-leading events such as Mobile World Congress, Mobile World Congress Shanghai and the Mobile 360 Series conferences.

For more information, please visit the GSMA corporate website at www.gsma.com. Follow the GSMA on Twitter: @GSMA.

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Contacts

For the GSMA

Ava Lau

+852-2533 9928

alau@webershandwick.com

Charlie Meredith-Hardy

+44 7917 298428

CMeredith-Hardy@webershandwick.com

GSMA Press Office

pressoffice@gsma.com

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