Industry Leaders Meet Online at Mobile 360 Asia Pacific to Discuss Digital Transformation Strategies for the Benefit of Society

GSMA Intelligence research shows how collaborative efforts practiced by Asia Pacific countries can enable digitalisation and provide a trustworthy online environment

Registrations are open for Mobile 360 Asia Pacific

19 October 2021, London: Asia Pacific's business leaders and policymakers will meet online this week at Mobile 360 Asia Pacific to discuss digital transformation strategies for the region. Following build-up events earlier this month, the virtual experience continues with keynote week, taking place over three days, 19 - 21 October 2021.

2021 showed how critical digital transformation can be, as digitalisation allowed people and businesses to combat the continued effects of the pandemic. As digitalisation has accelerated, it has become clear that digital inclusion is of the utmost importance. Collaborative approaches will be key as more 5G networks are launched in the region as they unlock new and innovative technologies, said the GSMA's Head of Asia Pacific, Julian Gorman.

New research from GSMA Intelligence shows how collaborative efforts will help countries in Asia Pacific continue to progress towards fully-fledged digital societies. In the Digital Societies Report in Asia Pacific: accelerating progress through collaboration , case studies from the region demonstrate how collaborative efforts can increase efficiency and help to develop new and trustworthy technological ecosystems. The report shows how Asia Pacific countries have made significant advances to becoming full-fledged digital societies in the past decade, despite the pandemic highlighting a need for progress in some areas.

COVID-19, which has accelerated digitalisation, is a sobering reminder of the importance of a robust connectivity infrastructure, which is the backbone of digital innovations. To enable our people and businesses to continue to seize opportunities in the digital economy, Singapore must continually invest in our infrastructure, uplift and upskill our people, and deepen our collaboration with the industry to transform Singapore into a living lab for digital innovations, said Mrs Josephine Teo, Singapore's Minister for Communications and Information, who is the keynote speaker of Mobile 360 Asia Pacific.

GSMA Digital Societies Report: Asia Pacific 2021

The GSMA's sixth annual report on digital societies in Asia Pacific tracked the progress of the 11 focus countries, Australia, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam, on the key aspects of a digital society: digital identity, digital citizenship, digital lifestyle, and digital commerce. This year's report includes an update to the index, to better reflect today's technology.

The report's findings provide an insight into the role collaborative efforts can play to advance digital societies in Asia Pacific. 4G and 5G connectivity allow for people, places and things to be connected like never before. As innovations are launched, collaborative efforts by people from different sectors allow for a diversity of ideas that helps to provide clarity of shared purpose. Ultimately these collaborative efforts can lower barriers and create prosperous partnerships. A Whole-of-Government Approach (WGA), along with public-private collaboration, provides opportunities for the region to leapfrog pain points and ensure that the benefits of a digital society are widely spread.

Other key highlights from the report include:

Nearly 130 million people across Asia Pacific subscribed to mobile internet services for the first time during 2020 and 2021, taking the total number of internet users in the region to more than 1.2 billion.

It is estimated that by 2025, over 333 million people across the region will start using mobile internet for the first time

Tackling online misinformation

Intelligent connectivity the fusion of 5G, AI and IoT is working to drive the post-pandemic economic recovery. However, it is essential that people operate in a safe and trustworthy online environment. An earlier report published this year by the GSMA[1] explained how online mis- and disinformation has the potential to undermine trust in the online environment, with the lack of trust limiting the adoption and continued use of digital technologies. As more 5G networks are deployed in Asia Pacific, continued dialogue and collaborative efforts will be essential to providing the trust necessary for a fully-fledged digital society.

A trustworthy digital environment is paramount to fully realising the benefits of digitalisation, and efforts to ensure this trust must be a collaborative, multi-stakeholder effort by government, industry and citizens, explained Minister Teo.

This week, Mobile 360 Asia Pacific will start at 11:00, in the Singapore time zone. To find out more about the event and register, please click here to visit the website. The GSMA Digital Societies Report: Asia Pacific 2021 is available to download here.

ENDS

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.

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