Airtel Africa’s Gopal Vittal, Vodafone Group’s Margherita Della Valle and MTN Group’s Ralph Mupita The three people at the top of the GSMA, the global mobile industry body, all run operators with large African businesses. The GSMA’s board has re-elected Gopal Vittal as chair for a second term, which runs until December 2028. It also…
Mobile operators in Africa have about a quarter less spectrum than their peers elsewhere, and pay 24% more for each unit of it relative to their revenue, according to a new report from the GSMA, the industry body that represents mobile operators. The report, Spectrum Policy in Africa, published this month by GSMA Intelligence, found…
MTN Group CEO Ralph Mupita. MTN Group president and CEO Ralph Mupita has been re-elected to the GSM Association (GSMA) board of directors, for the 2027–2028 term. This, after joining the board last year as deputy chairperson. “It is a privilege to continue serving on the GSMA board,” says Mupita. “This term comes as AI…
South Africa’s decision to scrap the 9% ad valorem excise duty on entry-level smartphones has been singled out by the GSMA as one of the clearest examples on the continent of how tax reform can bring people online. The plaudits for the decision, which was championed by communications minister Solly Malatsi, come in a new…
GSMA deputy chair Ralph Mupita Global mobile industry body GSMA is concerned that ongoing geopolitical tensions could lead to a bifurcation of standards that could have a severe impact on supply chains for mobile networking equipment and the device ecosystem in years to come. “A huge area of debate among the GSMA board [members] is…
The GSMA Handset Affordability Coalition — comprising six of the largest mobile operators in Africa — on Tuesday announced that six countries on the continent have been earmarked for the launch of its low-cost device priced at just US$40 (R660). The announcement was made during a press conference at the African Pavilion stand at Mobile…
The GSMA has secured commitments from 18 smartphone manufacturers to support the rollout of a $40 4G smartphone aimed at reducing Africa’s mobile internet usage gap. The initiative was launched at MWC Kigali in October 2024 and sets minimum technical standards for an affordable 4G device designed for African users. At least 8 vendors have…
Across Africa, more than 600 million people live within reach of mobile broadband but remain offline. The reason is not network coverage, according to GSMA Africa head Angela Wamola as quoted by TechCabal, but the high cost of smartphones. For many households, an entry-level device still consumes a large share of monthly income. To address…
Global mobile telecommunications industry body the GSMA has partnered with six of Africa’s largest mobile operators – Airtel, Axian Telecom, Ethio Telecom, Orange, and South Africa’s Vodacom and MTN – to develop a set of minimum requirements for an affordable, entry-level smartphone. The announcement was made at a Mobile World Congress event in Kigali, Rwanda…
