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GSMA Highlights Key Trends Shaping the Future of Mobile

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The GSMA has published its second annual ‘Global Mobile Trends’ report, which provides exclusive data and analysis on the key trends shaping the future of the mobile ecosystem.

Published at Mobile World Congress Americas being held in San Francisco this week, the 2017 edition of this flagship report series compiles data on mobile subscriber growth trends across both developed and emerging markets, plus insight on: device innovation beyond the smartphone; the evolution from 4G to 5G networks; industry financial performance and growth outlook; competition and convergence; and statistics for every region worldwide.

“Our latest Global Mobile Trends report provides a comprehensive view of the opportunities and challenges facing the mobile industry as we move into a new era of ubiquitous connectivity,” said Laxmi Akkaraju Chief Strategy Officer at the GSMA.

“Built on best-in-class GSMA Intelligence data and produced by our in-house team of industry analysts, today’s report maps out how future networks and operator business models are evolving within a rapidly shifting industry landscape.”

Key takeaways from the 2017 edition of the Global Mobile Trends: Connecting the next billion: Five billion people are now connected to mobile networks, representing two-thirds of the world’s population. However, growth is slowing; it took four years to move from 4 billion to 5 billion subscribers and connecting the next billion will take longer still. Meanwhile, smartphone and mobile broadband growth is driving mobile internet usage and engagement, and new form factors are emerging beyond the smartphone.

Rapid 4G growth: Industry excitement around 5G overlooks the fact that 4G still has plenty of headroom for future growth. 4G is forecast to account for two-thirds of global mobile connections by 2025 (up from around a quarter today), driven by increasing 4G adoption over this period in major emerging markets such as Brazil, India and Indonesia.

The pathway to 5G: Early 5G deployments will likely target high-bandwidth applications as an extension to 4G, notably 8K ultra-HD video and VR/AR apps, although the US will focus initially on using 5G as a last-mile technology for home broadband. South Korea and Japan are likely to be among the first 5G markets, showcasing the technology at the Olympics in 2018 and 2020, respectively.

However, on a global basis, it’s expected that 5G networks will be rolled out at a slower rate than 4G and adoption is therefore also likely to be slower.

Transforming the network: A paradigm shift in network architecture is required to support the shift to 5G and Internet of Things that requires the creation of decentralised networks that combine a number of network technologies (e.g. small cells, LPWA), using software-controlled network functions, and running over both licensed and unlicensed spectrum. Edge computing and network slicing will be needed to support major 5G applications. 

Telecoms and media converging: Convergence is now occurring at an industry level, as evidenced by the recent M&A boom that is creating telco-media conglomerates that seek to unlock new opportunities by combining content offerings with core network services; examples include Verizon/AOL/Yahoo and the proposed tie-up between AT&T and Time Warner.

However, investors have yet to price in a growth premium for converged telco-media plays, which continue to be valued significantly below major tech players.

The quintet of Apple, Amazon, Facebook, Google and Netflix have collectively grown enterprise value 3.5x since 2010, with large telecoms operators remaining relatively flat over this period.


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MTN Mulls Establishment of Fintech Firm in Nigeria, Others

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MTN Uganda is seeking input from stakeholders on a plan to structurally separate its mobile money service, MoMo, from its core telecoms business.

According to the company, the proposed change will be discussed at the upcoming extraordinary general meeting on July 2.

If approved, the telco’s fintech business will be run by a new company controlled by MTN Group Fintech Holdings B.V. and a trust benefiting minority shareholders following a merger.

Additionally, the restructuring also aligns with MTN Group’s ambition 2025 strategy which aims to unlock value, attract new investors, and strengthen regulatory compliance by creating standalone fintech entities in Uganda, Ghana, and Nigeria.

The company’s fintech division has over 13 million customers, with an 18.4% revenue increase in the first quarter of 2025, driven by 19.0% growth in mobile money services, 19.8% growth in transaction volumes, and a 31.4% increase in transaction value.

Reports say the decision is part of the telco’s compliance with the National Payment Systems Act 2020, which mandates mobile money businesses to operate as standalone entities, and to align with MTN Group’s regional fintech strategy.

MTN Uganda, which is led by CEO Sylvia Mulinge, highlighted that the implementation of the proposed transaction will be subjected to a number of conditions and regulatory procedures.

“The implementation of the proposed transaction shall be subject to a number of conditions, including the company and MTN MoMo receiving all required regulatory approvals and no-objections and complying with any regulatory conditions,” said MTN Uganda in notice.

 


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Netflix Expands European Presence with €1 Billion Investment in Spain

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Netflix has announced plans to invest more than €1 billion in Spanish film and television productions over the next four years, reinforcing its commitment to Spain as a key creative hub in Europe.

The announcement was made by co-chief executive Ted Sarandos at an event held at Netflix’s production studios near Madrid, celebrating the company’s 10-year presence in the country.

Sarandos emphasized that the investment would contribute significantly to Spain’s economy, create jobs, and enable the streaming platform to produce more local content. He was joined by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez in unveiling the initiative.

Netflix first established its international production studios in Madrid in 2019, following the success of the Spanish-language hit series Money Heist.

Since then, its 22,000-square-meter facility has become one of Netflix’s major production centers within the European Union.

The company currently supports over 20,000 jobs in Spain, highlighting the nation’s growing influence in global entertainment.

The investment reflects Netflix’s ongoing strategy to expand its presence in European markets through original content and local talent.


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ngCERT Issues High Alert to Nigerians Using Android Phones

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Nigeria Computer Emergency Response Team (ngCERT) has raised alarms over a new wave of advanced cyberattacks targeting Android mobile phones through a malware campaign dubbed Tria Stealer.

ngCERT Issues High Alert to Nigerians Using Android Phones

The malicious software is designed to infiltrate Android devices, hijack messaging accounts, intercept One-Time Passwords (OTPs), to steal sensitive personal and financial data.

According to ngCERT, Tria Stealer spreads primarily through deceptive tactics, such as fake event invitations distributed via popular messaging platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram.

Unsuspecting users are enticed to download an infected  (APK) file, often disguised as a harmless system application, to evade detection.

Once installed, Tria Stealer requests extensive permissions, including access to SMS, call logs, and app notifications.

It immediately commences data harvesting activities, sending stolen information to a Command and Control (C2) server operated via Telegram bots.

This trojan spreads through fake links, usually disguised as wedding or event invites, and tricks users into downloading malicious APK files

“Account takeover of messaging platforms. Impersonation of victim for fraudulent money transfer requests. Compromise of banking and financial applications. Identity theft and credential harvesting.”

In plain terms, if your phone is compromised, the consequences could be catastrophic.

Your financial apps are vulnerable, your reputation could be ruined by impersonation and even simple personal messages could be twisted into tools for scams.

Here’s what users should be doing now:

Don’t download apps outside the official Play Store.

Be suspicious of random invites or links, even from people you know.

Turn on 2FA for everything—banking, emails, social platforms.

Get a reputable antivirus and keep it updated.

If you run an organisation, you should already be taking this seriously.

ngCERT’s guidance says you should raise awareness, monitor mobile devices, and not let your team click on unverified links.

“Deploy network monitoring for suspicious outbound connections to known C2 domains,” it said, meaning, keep an eye on every digital door in and out.

This isn’t one of those cases where you wait to see if it affects you. By the time you realise it, it may already be too late.

 

 

 


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