GSMA Industry Services has launched its new Circularity Services. It is meant to help mobile operators and ecosystem partners extend the life of devices while reducing e-scrap.
The offering launches with two commercial partners. The first is Closing the Loop, whose ‘One for One’ service links one new mobile device sold by an operator to the collection and responsible recycling of one end-of-life device. The second is RGX, a neutral, online marketplace for enterprise asset disposition.
GSMA represents over 750 mobile operators around the world. It reports that the global mobile services sector was worth EUR 6.5 trillion in 2025, with 70% of the world’s population having a phone subscription. This will likely grow to reach EUR 9.7 trillion by 2030.
Positive impact
The ‘One for One’ service provides a practical and measurable way for organisations to incorporate circularity into their device propositions. Vodafone, Samsung and T-Mobile have successfully used the customer-centric program for devices sold in Europe, while Google is a global user.
Closing the Loop is an award-winning social enterprise, supported by the United Nations Environment Programme. Its One for One mission has created a positive impact in countries where formal waste collection and recycling infrastructure is often limited, such as Ghana and Nigeria.
‘The GSMA is globally respected as a unifier of the mobile ecosystem, and we’re excited to work together to expand the value that our ‘One for One’ service can deliver across the industry,’ comments Joost de Kluijver, ceo of Closing the Loop.
Scaling is everything
Meanwhile, RGX provides a neutral, online marketplace for e-waste management and enterprise asset disposition that connects organisations with service providers through a single automated platform. The service is designed to help businesses optimise returns from redundant devices and equipment through competitive bidding and effective resource management.
Initially available in the United States, the offering is expected to expand internationally over time.
‘Innovation is only as good as its ability to scale, says RGX co-founder Sean Miles. ‘Through our partnership with GSMA Industry Services, we have an opportunity to help a broader part of the mobile ecosystem put circularity into place.’
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