The Regulatory Burden on Mobile Cyber Defenses

This report details the findings of a new GSMA report concerning the regulation of mobile network cybersecurity. The report warns that fragmented and inconsistent policy requirements across global markets are proving counterproductive, driving operator costs—projected to reach up to $42 billion by 2030—and diverting essential resources away from actual threat mitigation toward burdensome compliance tasks. To counteract these inefficiencies, the GSMA advocates for effective policy frameworks that are risk-based, outcome-focused, and collaborative, built upon six core principles for better global security. Ultimately, the source materials function as a call for international governmental coordination to minimize unnecessary burdens and ensure a more resilient and secure mobile ecosystem.