The GSMA has stressed the importance of mobile identity in boosting digital trust within the ecosystem.

GSMA observed that the rising adoption of mobile Identity is transforming
digital engagement, driven by the demand for security and seamlessness throughout the customer lifecycle.

It noted that mobile identity initiatives have been rapidly expanding across the mobile industry, saying that their potential hinges on the connection that mobile networks establish between physical and digital identities.

The telecoms body noted that for enterprises to benefit, the mobile network Operators (MNOs) play a pivotal role by exposing interoperable APIs, saying collaboration among mobile network operators and a broad ecosystem of partners is essential for widespread adoption.

While the mobile industry is seen to have a vital role to play in advancing digital trust, mobile identity, from an enterprise perspective, is a technology that businesses use to securely verify customer identities using credentials from their mobile devices and associated networks. This ensures minimum friction to access their services whilst preventing fraud and protecting against bad actors.

Perceived as authoritative enough for most online services, mobile identity leverages multiple factors delivered through APIs, MNO network capabilities, subscriber identity, or device-based information.

GSMA, which said mobile and digital identity both address authentication and verification of an individual’s online credentials, said digital identity is more broadly applicable across various platforms, technologies, and channels and relies on diverse identity attributes, including email, social media, and biometrics.

In contrast, the body said mobile identity uses MNO-based insights and built-in security in the network and device ecosystem.

Accordingly, the body noted that MNOs have long straddled their subscribers’ physical data and digital footprint, making them ideal partners for digital identity.

“The mobile phone number is the most obvious of many inherent features and attributes that MNOs possess. 5G networks, customer onboarding processes and privacy and regulatory compliance constitute powerful enablers that MNOs can leverage to refine Mobile Identity.

“MNOs’ physical-world data about a user — such as name, address, and date of birth — can be linked to their digital footprint — including IP address, email, and network data — through the user’s phone number. The phone number connects the physical and digital worlds. Network APIs expose this capability for businesses to verify nearly all end users in a low-friction, secure, and privacy-preserving manner,” it stated.

Speaking on partnership, GSMA said enterprises increasingly rely on real-time, telecom-driven identity signals to strengthen and streamline user verification, reduce fraud, and meet compliance requirements. However, it said these signals cannot be fully leveraged unless MNOs are embedded within an ecosystem of partners that make access, integration, and delivery scalable and enterprise-ready.

In this context, GSMA said MNOs cannot act in isolation. It stressed that the successful deployment of Mobile Identity solutions requires a collaborative ecosystem of technical and commercial enablers — each contributing essential capabilities for integration, go-to-market, and operational scalability.

GSMA said this partner-driven model includes system integrators, independent software vendors (ISVs), channel partners, and Communications Platform as a Service (CPaaS) or technology enablers. These actors work alongside MNOs to expose, deliver, and embed identity-related network signals, such as SIM Swap status, device reachability, or number verification, into broader digital ecosystems.