China Telecom Backs Launch of GSMA’s Digital Declaration at Davos

Launched at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on January 24, 2019 the ‘Digital Declaration’ is a GSMA led initiative that captures key principles that serve as a guide to ethical behavior in the digital era and demonstrates the private and public sector’s commitment to responsible leadership.  As an active GSMA member, China Telecom is one of the 40 business leaders who have already committed to the declaration. Backing for the declaration spans across several industry sectors and include other CEO representatives from: Bharti Airtel, China Mobile, Deutsche Telekom, Ericsson, IBM, KDDI, KT, LG Electronics, Mobile World Capital Barcelona, Nokia, NTT DOCOMO, Orange, Samsung Electronics, Sharp, SK Telecom, Sony Corporation, STC Group, Telefonica, Turkcell, Verizon, Vodafone and Xiaomi.

GSMA’s Digital Declaration centers

GSMA’s Digital Declaration centers around the belief that enabling a positive and people-centric digital future requires constructive collaboration between stakeholders. Governments, industry and international organizations all have a stake in the digital future and must confront these shared challenges in this cross-industry and cross-geographical movement. Its vision calls on businesses to “integrate digital capabilities in every citizen’s education; respect the privacy of digital citizens; handle personal data with responsibility and transparency; foster innovation and investment to benefit consumers; take meaningful steps to mitigate cybersecurity threats; keep the internet open and accessible and combating online harassment.”

The digital age is evolving and experiencing unprecedented change and is changing the way consumers and businesses interact. Pushed by the imminent arrival of 5G networks, it is expected that by 2022, nearly 60 per cent of GDP will be digitized¹. China Telecom has embraced the shared vision of acting responsibly and extend consumer trust as we keep pace with the rapid rate of technology change and move into the era of Intelligent Connectivity.

China Telecom’s Continuous Expansion of Network Coverage

Through continuous expansion of network coverage, China Telecom has built the largest FDD 4G network in the world, covering 98% of the population; the largest FTTH network around the globe, with optical broadband covering over 90% of cities and towns and over 80% administrative villages in China; and a NB – IoT network that is deployed within the whole of CT’s network through more than 400,000 base stations  making our IoT coverage as a leader in both width and scale.

“The digital economy is profoundly changing people’s production modes, lifestyles and thinking as well as the process of human civilization. Network technologies are the cornerstone of the digital world and the main information artery of economic and social development. Only by establishing a safe, high-speed, ubiquitous and intelligent information network can the diversified kinds of information of the digital world be effectively transmitted.” said Mr. Yang Jie, Chairman and CEO of China Telecom, “China Telecom completely agrees with the digital future vision outlined and commits to being a responsible enterprise in the digital age. As a member of the GSMA board, China Telecom is willing to contribute to the creation and prosperity of a mutual-trust, jointly governed digital world together with the international community.”

To learn more about the Digital Declaration and view the details of CEOs that have already joined, visit the GSMA site here.

Notes to Editors
World Economic Forum, ‘Our Shared Digital Future’ Report (Dec 2018)