Mobile Sector GDP Contribution Set to reach $11 Trillion

New research from the GSMA has found that the mobile industry is moving beyond connectivity. Operators are now targeting new revenue streams from AI, digital platforms, and enterprise services, resulting in the sector’s contribution to global GDP reaching $11.3 trillion by 2030.

In its latest Mobile Economy report, the GSMA found that in 2025, mobile technologies and services contributed $7.6 trillion to global GDP, equivalent to 6.4% of total GDP. That figure is projected to rise to 8.4% of total GDP by 2030. Operator revenues are also forecast to increase from $1.19 trillion in 2025 to $1.36 trillion by 2030, with capex between 2025 and 2030 set to hit a total of $1.2 trillion.

By 2030, 57% of total mobile connections are forecast to run on 5G networks. Legacy 2G and 3G technologies are expected to fall to 1% and 5% of connections, respectively, marking a shift to advanced networks. Despite network expansion, gaps remain. In 2024, the global coverage gap stood at 4%, while the usage gap was significantly higher at 38%, highlighting the challenge of driving adoption among users already within network reach.

While expanding 4G and 5G coverage remains a priority, the sector is now entering a new era shaped by intelligent, adaptive, and value-added digital services, enabled by next-generation mobile architecture such as standalone 5G and the adoption of AI across consumer and enterprise use cases. According to the report, this shift marks a move from a connectivity-centric model to one driven by advanced digital platforms and data-enabled innovation. AI monetisation is one of the key trends on operator agendas, as 45% named AI-enabled revenue streams as a strategic priority. Network security also remains top of mind as digital dependency grows.

Device innovation is shifting, with user experience becoming a greater priority than hardware updates as AI capabilities increasingly influence device differentiation and upgrade cycles. Meanwhile, eSIM adoption is projected to account for 42% of all SIM technologies by 2030, offering more monetisation opportunities by supporting multi-device connectivity and new service models. On the enterprise side, companies plan to allocate around 10% of revenues to digital transformation between 2025 and 2030, boosting the B2B opportunity for technology providers.​​​​​​​​​