"African consumers in particular struggle with the cost of 4G-capable devices - the GSMA’s recent Mobile Economy Africa Report for 2025 found that there is still a significant affordability gap, with around 58% of Africans remaining offline because smartphones are too expensive. Together with major African players MTN, Airtel and Orange, the GSMA has put forward proposals to bring ultra-low cost 4G smartphones priced between $30 and $40 to Africa. Currently, comparable entry-level devices typically cost over $200. But if a $30 smartphone became available overnight in even a handful of African markets, what would be the ramifications – for both Africa’s consumers and its operators?" (Introduction)