Telecom
Global Market for Refurbished Smartphones to Reach 120m Units by 2017 – Gartner
A survey of U.S. and German consumers by Gartner, Inc. found that 60 percent of consumers are replacing their smartphones because they are interested in additional functionality, or they “just want” a new device.
Consequently, the worldwide market for refurbished phones that are sold to end users will grow to 120 million units by 2017, with an equivalent wholesale revenue of around $14 billion.
This is up from 56 million units in 2014, with an equivalent wholesale revenue of $7 billion.
The survey, which was conducted in June 2014, surveyed more than 5,600 U.S. and German consumers about their technology usage and attitudes in order to gain a better picture of how devices are used for work and leisure.
“With consumers in mature markets upgrading their smartphones every 18 to 20 months the inevitable question is what happens to the old device?” said Meike Escherich, principal research analyst at Gartner.
“While only seven percent of smartphones end up in official recycling programs, 64 percent get a second lease of life with 23 percent being handed down to other users and 41 percent being traded in or sold privately.
“This rise in smartphone reuse will impact not only the sales of new units, but also the revenue streams of all those involved in the smartphone supply chain,” continued Ms. Escherich.
“Stakeholders that are already participating in take-back or trade-in programs need to have a strategy for turning used devices into a positive asset. Others — particularly high-end phone original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) — need to take a closer look at this market in order to evaluate the impact these secondhand devices will have on their market positions and revenue streams.”
With nearly two-thirds of replaced smartphones being reused, continued demand for high-end used devices will increasingly impact primary-unit sales, and motivate phone providers to look into the secondhand market.
In North America and Western Europe, the market for refurbished phones is forecast to be worth around $3 billion in 2015 and growing to $5 billion in 2017.
Many users are attracted to used high-end devices that they would not have been able to purchase at the original selling price.
“The growing number of privately sold phones will stir up competition in the take-back market and drive communications services providers (CSPs) and refurbishers to engage in more aggressive marketing campaigns and new incentives,” said Ms. Escherich. “The survey shows that, in the U.S. and Germany, 41 percent of used smartphones find new owners via private sales or trade-ins. This trend applies to all levels of technology users, however, users who identify themselves as ‘tech enthusiasts’ in particular should be targeted to shift their behavior away from private sales and toward trade-ins.”
Tech enthusiasts generally are early adopters and trendsetters, and constitute around 25 percent of the U.S. sample.
Fifty-three percent of respondents in this category said they would replace their smartphones in the next 12 months, with 56 percent claiming that their current phones were less than a year old. Nearly half said that their replacement phones would be driven by new features or functionalities that can be found only in the new devices.
“For hardware vendors, this group of self-proclaimed tech enthusiasts is of particular interest, because trade-ins provide their channel partners with hardware that can be reused for warranty replacements, and for extending the brand reach into user segments that can’t afford these particular devices at the original purchase price,” said Ms. Escherich.
“Perhaps most importantly, however, is that tech enthusiasts tend to show high brand loyalty, indicating a good probability for future purchases of the same brand — with the extra credit earned via trade-ins often used for upgrades on their new purchases.”
Clean and reliable power for telecom networks in Ethiopia, Liberia, and Sierra Leone will be expanded following a $45 million investment by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) in IPT PowerTech.
The investment targets countries where limited power supply continues to slow digital connectivity and broader economic participation, the institution stated earlier this week.
To enable this expansion, the IFC is providing a $45 million corporate financing package consisting of an A-loan of $27 million and $18 million in blended finance.
The blended portion is sourced from the Canada-IFC Blended Climate Finance Programme and the IDA20 Private Sector Window Blended Finance Facility.
The initiative marks the IFC’s first direct infrastructure engagement in Liberia in a decade and in Sierra Leone in six years.
It will help scale solar- and battery-based power systems that reduce reliance on diesel and support greener, more resilient telecom networks.
By improving the quality and stability of power to telecom towers, the initiative will strengthen mobile coverage and ensure that households, schools, health centres, and small businesses can depend on consistent digital services, said the IFC.
The funding supports the modernisation, operation, and maintenance of 2 235 telecom sites across the three nations. More than 90% of these are located in off-grid or weak-grid locations.
With new solar and battery systems powering these sites, mobile networks will experience fewer outages and improved service quality.
Optimising the energy mix is estimated to reduce power costs for operators by up to 30% in Liberia, 26% in Sierra Leone, and 52% in Ethiopia.
This transition is also expected to cut emissions by more than 10 624 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually. Furthermore, the partnership will promote gender inclusion by expanding opportunities for women in technical, operational, and leadership roles within the sector, says the IFC.
This agreement reflects a shared vision for a greener telecom industry and empowers the company to scale its innovative energy platforms, according to Nabil Haddad, CEO of IPT PowerTech Group.
Reliable and affordable power for telecom networks is a cornerstone of Africa’s digital transformation, said Nathalie Kouassi-Akon, IFC regional director for West Africa and the Gulf of Guinea.
Through this partnership, the institution is supporting a scalable, private sector-led solution that enables mobile operators to reach underserved and fragile communities more sustainably, added Kouassi-Akon.
The project advances the World Bank Group and African Development Bank’s Mission 300 initiative, which aims to provide electricity to 300 million Africans by 2030.
Expedier has unveiled “Expedier for Business,” an online pro-banking platform to simplify global payments, multi-currency transactions, and financial operations for expanding companies.
Kingsley Madu
The tool centralizes payments, invoicing, payroll, and treasury into one secure dashboard, tackling challenges like fragmented systems and poor visibility that hinder international scaling.
Kingsley Madu, Co-Founder and CEO of Expedier, said: “African businesses are increasingly global… Expedier for Business was built to simplify how companies manage money across borders while maintaining visibility, control, and compliance.”
Key features include customizable dashboards for payments, invoices, and workflows; support for USD, CAD, GBP, EUR, and more; virtual cards; automated payroll/invoicing; currency swaps; and real-time tracking.
Security measures cover two-factor authentication, KYC/KYB verification, and team access controls.
As cross-border trade and remote work boom in Africa, the platform aids firms dealing with international suppliers, teams, and customers. It is now available for organizations scaling globally.
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has launched the Telecoms Identity Risk Management System (TIRMS) to enhance digital security and fight telecom fraud.
NCC
Dr Aminu Maida, Executive Vice Chairman, represented by Executive Commissioner Rimini Makama at an Abuja stakeholders’ forum, stressed mobile numbers (MSISDNs) as vital for banking, authentication, and services—but vulnerable to misuse via recycled, churned, or barred SIMs.
“The TIRMS Platform is a secure, regulatory-backed, cross-sectoral solution… to provide a uniform approach for managing risks relating to the integrity and utilisation of registered MSISDNs,” Maida said.
Objectives include better MSISDN access for accountability, fraud checks on dormant/suspicious numbers before service access, and proactive verification across sectors.
Proposed rules mandate 14-day churn notices, seven-day data submission to TIRMS, and blocking of fraudulent lines. Success hinges on telecoms, banks, security agencies, and others.
Maida highlighted NCC’s collaborative rulemaking for a “One Government” approach.
Cybersecurity Director Olatokunbo Oyeleye called digital trust an “operating licence” for growth: “Every mobile number in Nigeria [must] be trusted… TIRMS will safeguard users, reduce fraud, and reinforce confidence in our digital economy.”
TIRMS bridges gaps with CBN, NIMC, CAC, SEC, and PENCOM, aiming to cut fraud and boost trust.
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