5 June 2024, Mexico City: Over half (55%) of mobile connections in Latin America (LATAM) will be 5G by 2030, according to the Mobile Economy LATAM Report launched today at GSMA M360 LATAM.
M360 LATAM returned to Mexico City today, welcoming global business executives and government officials with an agenda focused on the role of mobile in driving the region’s socio-economic growth. Key topics of discussion include the importance of building high-performing networks, unlocking real value from AI and the innovation that will power a sustainable future.
For the third consecutive year, M360 LATAM is co-located with the Latin American Congress on Digital Transformation (CLTD) organised by ASIET and the GSMA, with the Federal Telecommunications Institute (IFT) as host. CLTD convenes leaders from LATAM’s public and private sectors for discussions on priority policy topics, which include ensuring universal access to mobile connectivity, future spectrum policy and digital transformation.
The GSMA’s Director General, Mats Granryd, said: “Latin America’s mobile ecosystem is making strong progress in bringing connectivity to all, with over 465 million people now using mobile phones and 5G rollouts gaining momentum throughout the region. M360 LATAM and CLTD bring digital leaders and policymakers together under one roof to align on the issues that will shape the next phase of the region’s digital transformation, from climate action and responsible AI use through to the usage gap and spectrum policy.”
The M360 LATAM and CLTD conferences continue today and tomorrow, offering a wide range of panel discussions. Free registration remains open.
Mobile Economy LATAM Report
The report shows 5G adoption stood at 5% across LATAM at the end of 2023, but that momentum will soon grow and reach 14% by 2025. As of April 2024, 29 operators across 10 countries had launched commercial 5G services.
Other key findings include:
- 65% of the population in LATAM were using mobile internet at the end of 2023. However, 225 million people are still not using it; the usage gap was widest in Guatemala (49%), Ecuador (41%) and Peru (40%).
- The mobile sector added $520bn of economic value (8% of GDP) to the LATAM economy and supported 2 million jobs in 2023. The industry’s economic contribution will rise to $600bn by 2030, $70bn of which will originate from 5G.
- LATAM’s monthly mobile data traffic per connection is forecast to rise from 7GB in 2023 to 32GB in 2030, placing significant strain on mobile network capacity. New policy approaches will be required to promote network efficiency and ensure investments in digital infrastructure.
- Brazilian operators Claro, TIM Brasil and Vivo are among the 240 mobile networks who have now signed up to the GSMA Open Gateway initiative, launching three commercial APIs in December 2023 focused on improving digital security.
- Licensed cellular IoT connections in LATAM will reach 125 million by 2030, with Brazil and Mexico accounting for almost 80% of the growth.
Inaugural M360 LATAM Awards recognising regional innovation
New for 2024, the GSMA announced the winners of the debut M360 LATAM Awards. The awards recognise the leadership and innovation that is driving transformational change across the region’s mobile industry, vertical sectors and society
- The Industry Champion Award was presented to the Ministry of Information and Communication Technologies (MinTIC) of Colombia for its recent spectrum policy decisions. These include the pricing strategy for the 5G auction, conditions for spectrum renewals, and the improvement plans policy aimed at addressing issues without disrupting services.
- Internet para Todos was awarded the LATAM Social Impact Award for its program 'Juntos Conectamos'. This accolade was chosen by a jury in recognition of its efforts to promote public-private cooperation in funding large-scale connectivity projects that benefit rural populations in Peru.
Hosted by the GSMA, M360 is a series of global events that unify the regional mobile ecosystem. The events aim to discover, develop and deliver innovation that serves as the foundation for positive business environments and societal change.
Join us next time for M360 APAC which kicks off in Seoul, between 1-2 October 2024, followed by M360 MENA in Doha between 18-19 November 2024.
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About GSMA
The GSMA is a global organisation unifying the mobile ecosystem to discover, develop and deliver innovation foundational to positive business environments and societal change. Our vision is to unlock the full power of connectivity so that people, industry, and society thrive. Representing mobile operators and organisations across the mobile ecosystem and adjacent industries, the GSMA delivers for its members across three broad pillars: Connectivity for Good, Industry Services and Solutions, and Outreach. This activity includes advancing policy, tackling today’s biggest societal challenges, underpinning the technology and interoperability that make mobile work, and providing the world’s largest platform to convene the mobile ecosystem at the MWC and M360 series of events.
We invite you to find out more at gsma.com