GSMA Experts highlight major tech developments in 2024 and what they are expecting in 2025

In 2025, the mobile industry is set to surpass 1 billion IoT connections while advancing 5G standalone, AI, quantum security, and mobile identity services. At MWC25 Barcelona, GSMA experts will discuss eSIM standardization, network APIs, private 5G, and AI-powered security. Discover how non-terrestrial networks (NTN) and post-quantum cryptography will shape telecom's future.
GSMA Experts highlight major tech developments in 2024 and what they are expecting in 2025

In 2025, the mobile industry is set to pass a major milestone โ€“ more than one billion devices will be connected using specialist Internet of Things (IoT) technologies (NB-IoT or LTE-M). โ€œIn 2024, low power wide area networks matured, and you started to see widespread adoption, particularly in Europe, on smart metres for instance,โ€ explains Shane Rooney, Senior Technical Director at the GSMA. Atย MWC Barcelona 2025, he expects a big focus on โ€œmulti-bearer coverageโ€ โ€“ the integration of ambient or passive IoT, private networks in factories and campuses, public 5G networks and satellite connectivity.


Another key development in the IoT market is the finalisation of a dedicated eSIM specification, which will help lower the cost of employing embedded SIM cards in IoT devices. โ€œWe are going to see the commercialisation of that in 2025,โ€ says Gloria Trujillo, Technical Director at the GSMA.ย Theย IoT eSIM specificationย will help the industry overcome fragmentation, meaning the cost of deployment can be lower compared to proprietary solutions. In the second half of 2025, the number of eSIM connections is set to grow significantly, according to Trujillo.

At the same time, awareness of mobile identity services has increased markedly, says Helene Vigue, Identity and Data Director at theย GSMA. In 2024, โ€œit really exploded on the stage at MWC (Barcelona 2024) with the GSMAย Open Gatewayย initiative,โ€ she recalls. โ€œThe spotlight from the Gateway has really helped scale the supply of network APIs. So, the deployments are happening at a quicker pace than before.โ€ At MWC Barcelona 2025, Vigue is expecting interest in the โ€œpremise of the mobile number as a root of trust,โ€ enabling mobile operators to provide enterprises with more valuable and sophisticated information. This year will also see mobile operators support the further development of the European digital identity wallets envisioned by the EUโ€™s revised eIDAS Regulation, which will come into force in 2026.

Tailoring 5G to the needs of enterprises

In 2024, the mobile industry raised its game in the enterprise market, says Richard Cockle, Head ofย GSMA Foundryย andย Connected Industries. โ€œThereโ€™s been more of a realisation around the unique nature of the requirement to be successful in the enterprise space,โ€ he says, noting that more mobile operators are โ€œdelayering their businessesโ€ to create companies that are focused on certain levels of technology. At MWC Barcelona 2025, he is expecting to see telco-enterprise partnerships around cloud technologies, artificial intelligence (AI) and APIs, together with progress on non-terrestrial networks (NTN) and network slicing services for enterprises.

Another key enabler for enterprises is the rollout of standalone 5G networks, which have a cloud-native core, making them more flexible and versatile. Henry Calvert, Head of Networks at the GSMA, is helping operators develop the business case. The release of a new GSMA study will enableย โ€œoperators to get more confident in launching 5G standalone that bring service-based architectures to bear,โ€ he predicts, as the GSMA Open Gateway makes it easier for operators to expose (and charge for) their network capabilities.

At the same time, 5G Advanced technologies are beginning to gain traction. Barbara Pareglio, Technical Director and Capabilities Director at the GSMA, notes that 2024 saw some early deployments of 5G RedCap (Reduced Capability), a low-cost form of 5G. In 2025, she expects to see initial deployments of other aspects of 5G Advanced, such as enhanced uplinks and the integration of NTN. In China, mobile operators are adapting 5G networks for sensing use cases, as well as connectivity. During 2025, Release 18 of the 3GPP standards will be finalised, paving the way for the first compatible equipment to be launched towards the end of the year.

GSMA Experts highlight new tech on the horizon

As the 3GPP standards evolve, the GSMA Foundry is supporting the integration ofย NTNย with terrestrial networks, says Richard Cockle. Through its partnership with theย European Space Agencyย (ESA), the Foundry has been able to unlock funding opportunities for innovative companies in this space, he explains. The Foundry is also helping the mobile industry harness AI. For example, its partnership withย Barcelona Supercomputing Centerย has helped mobile operator VEON expand its large language model for Kazakhstan from 2 billion parameters to 70 billion parameters. In 2025, Cockle says the Foundry will continue to develop its existing partnerships, as well as exploring new areas, such as the development of private 5G networks and quantum technologies.

In 2025 (the Internationalย Yearย ofย Quantumย Science and Technology), Yolanda Sanz, Technical Director at the GSMA,ย expects the telecoms industry to further explore how quantum technologies such as quantum sensors and computers can be used in networks to improve the range and reliability of telco infrastructure. She also anticipates progress on the integration of quantum key encryption into telecoms infrastructure, which will further boost confidence in the privacy and security of communications.

Post quantum cryptographyย is advancing in parallel. In 2024, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in the US released the first three post quantum algorithms. โ€œThis is a big milestone to protect the telco infrastructures,โ€ Sanz notes. โ€œFollowing this release, GSMA is already working with the industry to update the telco specifications to make sure that our communication will remain secure in the post quantum era and against harvest now, and decrypt later attacks.โ€

Meanwhile, the GSMA Telecommunication Information Sharing and Analysis Center (T-ISAC) โ€œhas seen significant growth,โ€ says Samantha Kight, Head of Industry Security at theย GSMA.ย At MWC Barcelona, security experts will explore the growing use of AI both to attack and defend mobile networks, Kight adds. During 2025, the GSMA will be convening the industry to double down on initiatives and capabilities to reduce fraud linked to SMS and SS7 service misuse, she adds. The GSMA Open Gateway will play an increasingly important role in these initiatives.

Donโ€™t miss the opportunity to dive deeper into these topics and more at MWC25 Barcelona. To find out more about how mobile tech will evolve in 2025, register for the upcoming GSMA Technology and Foundry summits on theย MWC Barcelona 2025 website.


Recent Content

Web3 is redefining the telecom industry by introducing decentralized infrastructure, blockchain-based billing, smart contracts, NFTs, and digital identity. This article explores how telcos can evolve from connectivity providers to key players in Web3 ecosystemsโ€”offering programmable services, token economies, and secure, user-centric digital experiences.
AI is helping small businesses compete with the big guys in e-commerce, making it easier to offer personalized shopping, provide instant customer support, and streamline operations. From smart chatbots to inventory management and fraud detection, small businesses now have access to powerful tools that boost growth without breaking the bank. In this article, we explore how AI is leveling the playing field and share practical tips for small businesses to stay competitive in todayโ€™s digital world.
As the telecom industry celebrates World Telecom Day 2025, the theme is clear: connectivity is not just infrastructureโ€”it is empowerment. It is what enables a student in a rural village to access world-class education, a farmer to monitor crops via smart sensors, or a doctor to conduct remote surgery with millisecond precision.
AT&T will acquire Lumenโ€™s consumer fiber business in a $5.75B deal to expand its broadband coverage to 60 million U.S. locations by 2030. The transaction gives AT&T access to 4M enabled locations, 1M subscribers, and new metro markets like Seattle and Phoenix. Meanwhile, Lumen refocuses on enterprise innovation and AI-first networking.
Comcast Advertising and Waymark have launched an AI-powered TV ad platform that helps small businesses produce professional-quality commercials in minutes. By eliminating the high costs and long production times of traditional TV ad creation, this new solution offers fast, flexible, and affordable access to premium video inventory, ideal for local businesses looking to advertise on TV and streaming.
As 5G expands, reduced-capability (RedCap) and enhanced RedCap (eRedCap) IoT devices face pressure to transition from 4G. But adoption has lagged due to price and value challenges. This article explores why OEMs are holding back, the role of low-power DSP modem platforms like Cevaโ€™s, and how software-defined radio and flexibility are key to unlocking 5Gโ€™s potential in high-volume, low-bandwidth IoT applications.
Whitepaper
Telecom networks are facing unprecedented complexity with 5G, IoT, and cloud services. Traditional service assurance methods are becoming obsolete, making AI-driven, real-time analytics essential for competitive advantage. This independent industry whitepaper explores how DPUs, GPUs, and Generative AI (GenAI) are enabling predictive automation, reducing operational costs, and improving service quality....
Whitepaper
Explore the collaboration between Purdue Research Foundation, Purdue University, Ericsson, and Saab at the Aviation Innovation Hub. Discover how private 5G networks, real-time analytics, and sustainable innovations are shaping the "Airport of the Future" for a smarter, safer, and greener aviation industry....
Article & Insights
This article explores the deployment of 5G NR Transparent Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTNs), detailing the architecture's advantages and challenges. It highlights how this "bent-pipe" NTN approach integrates ground-based gNodeB components with NGSO satellite constellations to expand global connectivity. Key challenges like moving beam management, interference mitigation, and latency are discussed, underscoring...

Download Magazine

With Subscription

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Scroll to Top