GSMA: 1.5 Billion New Mobile Connections In Asia By 2017 Will Power Growth And Drive Impact Of The Connected Life

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SHANGHAI, June 26, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The GSMA today announced that more than 1.5 billion [1] new mobile connections will be added in Asia by 2017, fuelling the growth of the so-called 'Connected Life' by intelligently connecting people to everything around them via new and innovative mobile-connected products and services. A new report [2] developed by PwC and the GSMA and released at Mobile Asia Expo 2013 reveals the transformative impact that connected devices and machine-to-machine (M2M) communications will have on the automotive, education, health and smart cities sectors in Asia over the next five years.

"The pervasive nature of connected devices is already transforming the way that people in the region live their lives," said Michael O'Hara, Chief Marketing Officer, GSMA. "Over the next five years, Asia will experience an accelerated growth in connected cars, buildings, medical monitors and a whole range of connected consumer electronics and household appliances. However, continued collaboration between mobile operators and key players in vertical sectors is vital in further driving the disruptive and pioneering mobile services that will improve the lives of people in the region."

By 2017, according to the new PwC-GSMA research, the growth of the Connected Life in Asia has the power to:

Add up to US $22 Billion in Economic Productivity in China by Reducing Traffic Congestion
The introduction of mobile-enabled vehicle telematics could significantly reduce traffic by reporting critical data such as location, driving speed and direction. Reducing congestion is a key challenge. For instance, Beijing experienced a traffic jam in 2012 that spanned over 100 kilometres and lasted more than 10 days and the average urban commute in the biggest Chinese cities is already around 80 minutes per day. Time saved by reducing traffic through mobile services will help Chinese commuters reclaim nearly two hours of their time every week and add as much as US $22 billion of economic productivity.

Help Power 10 Million Homes in India by Cutting Power Theft
Installing mobile-enabled smart meters in India could save enough electricity to power more than 10 million homes by 2017. India loses 24 per cent of the electricity it generates every year, costing its economy more than US $17 billion, with power theft accounting for around half of these losses. Mobile-enabled smart meters provide the wireless connectivity that allows utilities to detect and record theft.

Save US $10 Billion in Healthcare Costs in Japan through mHealth
By 2017, almost 28 per cent of the Japanese population is expected to be over 65 years old. The adoption of mobile technologies for remote monitoring, disease management, and preventive medicine for the elderly could reduce Japan's healthcare spend by US $10 billion in 2017, resulting in sufficient savings to cover the medical expenses of one million senior citizens each year.

Reduce Education Costs for Students in South Korea by up to US $12,000 per Student
Technology, and in particular, mobile-enhanced learning in South Korea could complement traditional after-school private classes, saving students up to US $12,000 over their school lives. In 2012, South Korean parents spent around US $17.5 billion, or 1.5 per cent of GDP, on private after-school education. Replacing private English and maths classes with technology/mobile-enhanced learning for two days a week could help South Korean students save enough to cover half the cost of their higher education tuition.

To view the report, please visit: www.gsma.com/connectedliving/the-next-five-years-in-asia.

GSMA Launches Smart Cities Index at Mobile Asia Expo
The GSMA today also announced that it will be engaging with cities around the world on the development of a Smart Cities Index – a set of market, social and economic indicators that will outline the benefits of launching smart city services and quantify their impact on the city's operations, its economy and its citizens. A smart city makes extensive use of information and communications technologies, including mobile networks, to improve the quality of life of its citizens in a sustainable way. The GSMA is uniquely positioned to collaborate with cities globally and has developed this common set of indicators for measuring economic, infrastructure and social benefits of 'mobile connected' smart cities.

To access the GSMA Smart Cities Index, please visit: www.smartcitiesindex.gsma.com.

GSMA Connected City at Mobile Asia Expo
The GSMA Connected City at Mobile Asia Expo will showcase examples of the mobile products and services that will deliver new business opportunities, create value for consumers and ultimately drive economic growth. The demonstrations at the Connected City highlight how mobile is making homes and cars smarter, travel swifter, shopping easier and urban living safer and more environmentally friendly in the largest and most innovative mobile market in the world.

For more information on the GSMA Connected City, please visit: http://gsma.at/10kkHIg.

Notes to editors
[1] Sum of GSMA Intelligence total connections and Machina M2M connection estimates
[2] Connected Life: The Next Five Years in Asia, PwC for the GSMA

About the GSMA
The GSMA represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide. Spanning more than 220 countries, the GSMA unites nearly 800 of the world's mobile operators with more than 230 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, including handset makers, software companies, equipment providers and Internet companies, as well as organisations in industry sectors such as financial services, healthcare, media, transport and utilities. The GSMA also produces industry-leading events such as the Mobile World Congress and Mobile Asia Expo. 

For more information, please visit the GSMA corporate website at www.gsma.com or Mobile World Live, the online portal for the mobile communications industry, at www.mobileworldlive.com.

Media Contacts for the GSMA

Charlie Meredith-Hardy
+44 (0)7810 050 576 
[email protected]

Palmer Wang (Beijing)
+86 10 8569 9946 
[email protected]

Ava Lau (Hong Kong)
+852 2533 9928 
[email protected]

GSMA Press Office 
[email protected]

SOURCE GSMA