GSMA
Russia will lead the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)1 in the commercialisation of 5G services, with the region’s other markets all launching 5G networks by 2025, according to the GSMA’s Mobile Economy: Russia & CIS 2019 report, which was published today at the Mobile 360 Series – Eurasia event in Moscow. The CIS region will have around 54 million 5G connections by 2025, an adoption rate of 13 per cent. Operators are forecast to invest $39 billion in mobile infrastructure between 2019 and 2025, of which over 70 per cent will be 5G-specific.
“5G networks have the potential to transform the digital economy for businesses and citizens alike and our latest report highlights how Russia and the CIS region is preparing to enter this exciting new era,” said Mats Granryd, Director General of the GSMA. “However, in order to capitalise on the tremendous potential of 5G in driving socio-economic growth, regional governments and regulators must adopt policies, such as access to spectrum, that encourage inward investment and encourage the development of the mobile industry.”
4G Networks Growing, Subscriber Adds Slowing
The CIS region had 235 million unique mobile subscribers at the end of 2018, with Russia, Ukraine and Uzbekistan together accounting for 80 per cent. The region has a high unique subscriber penetration rate of 81 per cent, notably in Russia which is approaching saturation point. Future growth will be limited to less than 9 million new unique subscribers in the CIS by 2025. However, the region is also seeing an accelerated shift to mobile broadband driven by greater demand for data-intensive services and higher speeds. 4G is set to become the region’s leading mobile technology in 2021, and will account for over two-thirds of total connections in 2025.
Policies to Support the Digital Economy
The report highlights how delivering 5G connectivity will increase capital intensity for operators, while current uncertainty around spectrum access could be a potential barrier to releasing value into the digital economy. 5G networks have the potential to underpin a range of innovative solutions for businesses and consumers; however, policymakers should also harness the power of 5G to drive growth and the transformation of traditional industries. The regulatory framework should foster the mobile industry’s development within an environment that is conducive to investment. This should be underpinned by a comprehensive national 5G development plan.
Mobile Contributing to the Economy and Employment
The mobile industry contributed $101 billion or 4.7 per cent of GDP to the CIS regional economy in 2018, which is forecast to increase to $122 billion (5.1 per cent of GDP) by 2023. In 2018, the industry contributed 620,000 jobs through direct employment or indirectly through activity in the wider economy. An additional $12 billion was raised in 2018 via general taxation. 5G-related technologies are expected to contribute $34 billion to regional economy over the next 15 years.
Regional Innovation Underpinned by Mobile Connectivity
The report also highlights the potential for operators to expand their businesses beyond traditional communications in areas such as the Internet of Things (IoT), where smart homes and smart buildings will be two key growth verticals out to 2025. The mobile industry is also exploring and implementing applications of artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain technologies, as well as injecting greater funds into the start-up ecosystem to protect itself from disruption and diversify the revenue mix.
The new report The Mobile Economy Russia & CIS 2019 is authored by GSMA Intelligence . To access the full report and related infographics, please visit: https://www.gsma.com/r/mobileeconomy/russia-cis/
-ENDS-
Notes to Editors
- The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) are Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan.
About the GSMA
The GSMA represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide, uniting more than 750 operators and nearly 400 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, including handset and device makers, software companies, equipment providers and internet companies, as well as organisations in adjacent industry sectors. The GSMA also produces the industry-leading MWC events held annually in Barcelona, Los Angeles and Shanghai, as well as the Mobile 360 Series of regional conferences.
For more information, please visit the GSMA corporate website at www.gsma.com . Follow the GSMA on Twitter: @GSMA.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20191007005053/en/
About Business Wire
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Andersen Consulting udvider sine kapaciteter inden for digital transformation5.12.2025 16:53:00 CET | Pressemeddelelse
Andersen Consulting indgår en samarbejdsaftale med Neit Consulting, et firma med fokus på at skabe mere effektiv drift, integrere intelligente teknologier og accelerere den digitale modenhed for kunder. Neit Consulting er et konsulentfirma med base i Tjekkiet og mere end 20 års erfaring med at levere ISO-certificerede it- og forretningsrådgivningsydelser inden for dataanalyse, performance management og procesoptimering. Med mere end 200 konsulenter hjælper firmaet kunder – herunder globale banker, forsikringsselskaber, produktionsvirksomheder og offentlige instanser –gennem virksomhedsrådgivning, implementering af it-systemer og langsigtet systemsupport. Neit Consulting betjener kunder internationalt med fokus på at afstemme digital kapacitet med komplekse driftsmæssige behov. "Dette samarbejde afspejler et markant fremskridt i omfanget af de ydelser, vi tilbyder vores kunder," udtaler Tomáš Niederle, salgsdirektør for Neit Consulting. "Andersens globale rækkevidde og tværfaglige tilga
Fitch Learning Completes Acquisition of Moody’s Analytics Learning Solutions and the Canadian Securities Institute5.12.2025 16:48:00 CET | Press release
Combined entity to accelerate financial services skills development and drive measurable business outcomes across 148 countries Fitch Learning, the global leader in financial learning and professional certifications, today announced the completion of its acquisition of Moody’s Analytics Learning Solutions (MALS) and the Canadian Securities Institute (CSI). MALS is a global provider of credit and digital learning, and CSI is a leading provider of certifications for the Canadian financial services industry. Fitch Learning, recognized globally as the premier financial education provider, delivers specialized training for the financial services industry through accredited qualifications, flexible corporate solutions programs, managed services and digital learning solutions trusted by leading institutions worldwide. The combined business will serve over 92,000 finance professionals across 148 countries, at every stage of their careers. “This acquisition is about creating more opportunities
Arthur D. Little and Vega IT Unveil Joint Venture for Digital Innovation5.12.2025 16:00:00 CET | Press release
Arthur D. Little (ADL) and Vega IT today announced the formation of Axceler8 Solutions, a 50/50 joint venture created to design, develop, and operate a portfolio of digital and AI solutions aimed at improving efficiency and automating complex business processes. The launch of this new company is the direct outcome of a year of successful collaboration between the two firms and marks a new phase in their shared ambition to bring scalable, high-performance digital solutions to market, aiming to further augment their clients’ capacity to compress time to impact in a variety of domains. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251205465303/en/ Arthur D. Little and Vega IT have announced the formation of Axceler8 Solutions, a 50/50 joint venture created to design, develop, and operate a portfolio of digital and AI solutions. Axceler8 Solutions’ first product, Axceler8 Rx, is now live as a newly developed platform, and is a
Lone Star Announces Sale of SPX FLOW to ITT Inc.5.12.2025 13:30:00 CET | Press release
Lone Star Funds (“Lone Star”) today announced the signing by an affiliate of Lone Star Fund XI, LP of a definitive agreement to sell SPX FLOW, Inc. (“SPX FLOW”), a leading provider of highly engineered equipment and process technologies for attractive end markets including industrial, health and nutrition, to ITT Inc. (NYSE: ITT) for $4.775 billion in cash and shares of common stock. Based in Charlotte, N.C., SPX FLOW focuses on process technologies delivering mixing, blending, fluid handling, separation, thermal heat transfer and other solutions integral to industrial, health and nutrition markets. The company has operations in more than 25 countries and sales in more than 140 countries. In partnership with Lone Star, SPX FLOW has focused on improving its sales execution and operating platform, while ensuring high quality and innovative product development. The management team has improved the company’s commercial organization and executed growth initiatives to build its presence in e
AmTrust Financial Services and Blackstone Credit & Insurance Close Strategic Transaction and Launch Newly Formed Multinational MGACompany Named ANV Group Holdings Ltd.5.12.2025 13:00:00 CET | Press release
Strategic Transaction Unlocks Value for AmTrust and Positions ANV Group Holdings for Accelerated GrowthFormer AmTrust President Adam Karkowsky Leading ANV Group Holdings as Chairman and CEO AmTrust Financial Services, Inc. (“AmTrust” or the “Company”), a global specialty property casualty insurer, and Blackstone Credit & Insurance (“BXCI”), today announced the closing of a strategic transaction under which AmTrust and funds managed by BXCI have partnered to spin-off certain of AmTrust’s Managing General Agencies (“MGAs”) and fee-based businesses in the U.S., United Kingdom, and Continental Europe, into ANV Group Holdings Ltd. (“ANV”), a newly formed independent company, following receipt of regulatory approvals. AmTrust and ANV have entered into a ten-year capacity agreement through which AmTrust will remain the underwriter for the existing books of business offered through the MGAs. As previously announced on September 15, 2025, the agreement includes seven AmTrust subsidiaries: ANV S
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom