The GSMA has announced its membership in the Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI), a diverse global coalition of over 50 members committed to driving down the cost of Internet access in developing countries via regulatory and policy reform. The GSMA will work closely with A4AI to identify policy and regulatory barriers to Internet access and affordability and collaborate on plans to address these issues on a worldwide basis.

Anne Bouverot, Director General, GSMA commented: “We welcome the opportunity to become a member of the Alliance for Affordable Internet and to help tackle one of the most pressing technological challenges in less-developed countries. According to GSMA Intelligence, penetration rates of mobile subscribers are as low as 20 per cent in Ethiopia, 28 per cent in India and 30 per cent in Pakistan, though high levels of multiple SIM ownership mean the numbers of mobile connections are higher. There is an urgent need for affordable smartphones, the rapid, economically viable deployment of wireless broadband infrastructure in rural areas and the promotion of digital literacy to help connect the unconnected in underserved communities around the world.”

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