The GSMA was quick to take credit for the success of MWC 2025 in finally equaling the record 2019 attendance of 109,000, after the earlier hiatus imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic. But it could not escape scrutiny over its own record in defending its telco members’ interests, in the face of multiple challenges that have either unfolded or intensified during the 5G era. These include technological issues, spectrum, regulatory compliance, consolidation and geopolitical tensions threatening greater global fragmentation. There is no denying the GSMA’s tireless pursuit of members’ interests within certain parameters, including market research, and use of its scale to exert some pressure on regulators. Yet when judged by results, the effectiveness of many campaigns can be called into…