Severe storms and floods already cost mobile operators $1.7 billion annually in cell-site infrastructure repairs and replacement, and these costs could nearly double to more than $3 billion a year by 2050 under projected mid-century climate conditions. These are the findings of a new report by the GSMA, Futureproofing Connectivity: Assessing Climate Risk and Resilience in Telecommunications, released today.
In response to these growing risks, the GSMA has published a new set of policy principles for mobile network resilience. The principles show how coordinated, risk-based and investment-friendly approaches strengthen connectivity against extreme weather, power failures, natural disasters and geopolitical disruption.
Together, the report and the principles show that mobile network resilience is vital to economies, public services and national security, as these are the networks governments, emergency services and citizens rely on most when disasters strike. They highlight the crucial role of streamlined policy and regulation in supporting sustained investment, innovation, and importantly, coordination across critical infrastructure sectors.
