GSMA bats for free flow of data, says restrictions will create islands of information

BARCELONA: The creation of data protection regime in India and other countries across the globe is good but governments should also ensure free flow of data and not create islands of information, according to global telecom industry body GSMA.

“It’s (data protection regime) good because we have been effecting societies to increasing degrees with everything getting connected. In a couple of years time, we are going to have over a billion IoT (Internet of Things) connections over cellular. Beyond cellular, we are going to have 20 billion connections,” GSMA Director General Mats Granryd told in an interview here.

According to GSMA intelligence report, 79 mobile operators have announced plans to launch 5G services and more than 50 countries, including India, are set to benefit from it before the end of 2020. Another report from the GSMA intelligence estimates that there will be 25 billion IoT connections by 2025.