New GSMA research highlights significant growth in mobile subscriptions and 5G adoption in the Philippines by 2030
26th November 2024, Manila: The Philippines is one of the most advanced digital nations in Asia Pacific and will benefit from the economic and social opportunities that mobile technologies can bring, according to research outlined today at the GSMA Digital Nation Summit in Manila. However, to realize its potential to become a full-fledged digital nation, the Philippines must continue to expand its mobile infrastructure across the archipelago and build greater consumer trust in digital services.
The GSMA’s “Digital Nations in Asia Pacific” report highlights how the Philippines ranks sixth among 18 countries in the region and leads the way in areas such as data governance. The country is making progress in expanding its digital infrastructure, including the deployment of 5G networks by major operators and the expansion of satellite networks to improve connectivity and internet speeds across the country. This digital transformation is further supported by the government's efforts to foster a startup ecosystem, with innovation and entrepreneurship being key priorities.
Additional research from the GSMA’s recent “Mobile Economy Asia Pacific 2024” report shows that the number of mobile subscribers in the Philippines is projected to grow to 78% of the population by 2030 (from 73% in 2023). Smartphone adoption is expected to increase to 92% of the population by 2030 (from 86% in 2023), as mobile operators expand the reach of mobile Internet services in the Philippines and smart devices become more accessible. More than 51% of mobile connections are expected to be through 5G technology by 2030, a big jump from just three percent of connections in 2023.
However, despite this, the Philippines is in a three-way tie for the ninth largest mobile usage gap in the world, meaning that 55 million people, or more than 45% of the population, do not currently use the Internet. mobile. Mobile phone affordability and ownership is a major challenge, especially for rural areas and vulnerable groups. Other contributing factors include unequal access to digital literacy and education and limited awareness of the benefits of the Internet or the skills to use it. Additionally, growing concerns around privacy, scams, fraud and online security could undermine digital trust and discourage adoption.
To ensure the country continues to benefit from the economic and social change that digital transformation can bring, all parts of the government, mobile and technology industries must work together to safeguard digital trust. GSMA research shows that 29% of consumers surveyed in the Philippines have been victims of financial crimes, such as identity theft and security breaches. Likewise, the Digital Nations report highlights how the Philippines experienced the highest growth in deepfake cases (4,500%). Deepfakes involve the use of hyper-realistic fake videos, images and audio to mislead viewers and have the potential to erode trust in digital content. This has important implications for sectors including media, arts, academia, security and justice.
Speaking at the Digital Nation Summit in Manila, Julian Gorman, GSMA Asia Pacific Director, said the government, industry players and other stakeholders must focus on five key measures to preserve digital trust. These are:
- a political environment to boost investments
- a whole-of-government approach to optimize digital transformation efforts
- A private sector commitment to address online risks.
- international cooperation to address cross-border threats and
- the development of a response mechanism to reassure and support Internet victims
To support the acceleration of the country's progress towards becoming a digital nation, the GSMA is hosting the Digital Nation Summit Manila 2024 this week. The one-day event will bring together government officials, industry leaders and technology experts to discuss strategies to foster collaboration and drive the country's digital transition. The summit will align with Fintech Week in the Philippines, and the GSMA will also host its own APAC Fintech Forum. This event will focus on the role of fintech in promoting inclusive digital growth and innovation within the country.
“The Philippines is at a crucial moment in its digital journey”said Julian Gorman, head of APAC at GSMA. “The mobile industry's significant contributions to the economy highlight the potential for further growth and innovation. Our goal is to help the Philippines harness the power of mobile and digital technologies for inclusive growth and innovation. The Digital Nation Summit and APAC Fintech Forum aim to foster collaboration and drive viable strategies that solidify the Philippines' position as a leading digital nation in the region..”
During the Digital Nation Summit, leaders from the Philippine Department of Information and Communications Technology, Globe Telecom, Smart Communications, Meta, the Asian Development Bank and RCBC will discuss how leveraging technology and forming partnerships is essential to protect to consumers and maintain trust in digital platforms. .
“As the Philippines' digital transformation accelerates, we see the growing importance of collaboration among stakeholders to address emerging challenges, from online risks to threats without borders. Globe joins the industry to find effective and sustainable solutions faced by industry players around the world. This is fundamental in our mission to improve lives through technology, ensuring that no Filipino is left behind on the path to a digitally empowered society. future,” said Ernest Cu, President and CEO of Globe.
An area of discussion during the summit will be the need for cross-industry collaboration to improve online security and safeguard digital trust. One such collaboration is the GSMA Open Gateway initiative, which harnesses the power of global mobile networks by opening access to network capabilities through common application programming interfaces (APIs). Globe Telecom and Smart Communications are supporting the initiative in the Philippines, working with financial institutions and online retailers to help mitigate the incidence of account takeovers and unauthorized transactions resulting from malware and phishing app scams.
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