GSMA warns climate damage to mobile networks tops GBP £3bn

GSMA has issued a set of policy principles for mobile network resilience as new research estimates climate-related damage to mobile infrastructure could exceed USD $3 billion a year by 2050.

The industry body said severe storms and floods already cost mobile operators USD $1.7 billion a year in repairs and replacement of cell-site infrastructure. Its report found that, under projected mid-century climate conditions, that figure could rise to more than USD $3 billion annually.

The analysis identified storms as the biggest source of damage, accounting for about USD $1 billion a year at present. By 2050, storm-related costs alone could reach roughly USD $2.4 billion a year.

The estimates are conservative because they do not include damage to fixed networks or the effects of hazards such as wildfire and extreme heat. They also exclude wider costs including lost revenue, service restoration, higher energy use and rising insurance premiums.

Across more than 50 countries, major storms and floods coincided with an average of about 150 telecommunications outages a year between 2022 and 2024, according to the report. Those outages directly affected just under 215 million service users annually.

Policy focus

The new principles set out five priorities for governments and regulators designing resilience frameworks for mobile networks. They call for outcome-based regulation rather than prescriptive rules, flexibility to build resilience into network design, early consultation with operators, cross-sector planning and clearer responsibilities during emergencies.

The guidance also says resilience policy should extend beyond telecommunications because mobile networks depend on power, transport and fuel supplies during major incidents. Electricity supply has become a major systemic vulnerability, with severe weather often causing outages through power failures rather than direct damage to telecoms equipment.

That wider dependence has increased the importance of coordination between mobile operators, governments, emergency services and energy providers. GSMA argued regulation should support long-term investment and avoid overlapping or conflicting obligations.

It also said governments should consider incentives, funding or cost-recovery measures when resilience requirements go beyond operators' own risk-based investment plans. The document presents regulatory certainty and proportionate obligations as necessary for sustained spending on network protection.

Mobile operators already invest in network hardening, backup power, redundant connections, emergency roaming arrangements and rapid-response measures. Even so, GSMA warned that the growing frequency and severity of climate-related disruption mean resilience can no longer be treated solely as an operator issue.

Cost of disruption

The report links operators' financial exposure to broader economic and public service risks. Mobile networks are used by governments, emergency services, businesses and the public during severe weather and other disruptions, making service continuity an issue that extends beyond the sector itself.

GSMA also said operators face an increasingly complex regulatory environment. Requirements now span telecommunications rules, critical infrastructure obligations, emergency preparedness and climate-related reporting frameworks.

John Giusti, Chief Regulatory Officer and President of the GSMA Foundation at GSMA, said: "Mobile connectivity is essential infrastructure. Whether responding to extreme weather, power failures or other major disruptions, people, businesses and emergency services depend heavily on mobile networks.

"Operators continue to make huge investments in ensuring network resilience as the threats become more complex and interconnected. Severe weather is already costing the industry billions of dollars, and those costs are set to rise substantially. Building resilience will require a coordinated effort among operators, governments and the wider ecosystem."