GSMA has announced a coalition of partners to expand the reach of affordable smartphones to low-income population in emerging countries in Asia and Africa.
The coalition will consist of global institutions such as the World Bank Group, the United Nations’ agency ITU and the WEF Edison Alliance.
Mobile operators such as Axian Telecom, Ethio Telecom, MTN, Orange, and Vodafone are part of the alliance.
Phone makers such as Honor, Huawei, ZTE and MobiWire are part of the alliance.
Device ecosystem partners such as Google, Intelligra, KaiOS, Kistpay, M-Kopa, and Take Back The Media (TBTM) are also also part of the initiative.
They will assess ways to lower the cost of entry into the digital economy for low-income populations, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
GSMA said mobile is often the only way for people in low and middle income countries to access the internet, with 38 percent of the global population living in areas where they cannot use mobile internet due to barriers such as high cost and lack of skills.
The coalition will collaborate to improve access to affordable internet-enabled devices to close the Usage Gap, which holds back around three billion people worldwide from maximising their potential in the global digital economy.
