GSMA to move its M360 Eurasia event to Astana in 2027

The GSMA will move its M360 Eurasia event to Astana in autumn 2027, with Beeline Kazakhstan as host sponsor.

The move follows an agreement with Kazakhstan's Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development.

The annual event serves as a regional forum for mobile industry executives, policymakers and technology companies across Eurasia. The Astana edition marks a venue change after two years in Uzbekistan, held in partnership with VEON Group, parent company of Beeline Kazakhstan.

The GSMA said the decision reflects its established relationship with Kazakhstan's digital sector and the country's growing role in regional telecoms and technology development. Astana is expected to host discussions on connectivity, digital inclusion and regulation, alongside broader debate on artificial intelligence and communications infrastructure.

Kazakhstan has been advancing its digital agenda through new legislation and a national AI action plan. It has also backed programmes including AI-Sana, which focuses on skills development and support for projects and start-ups, and Alem.ai, which combines AI education, research, start-up support and government applications.

That policy push has been accompanied by investment in network and data infrastructure. The country is expanding 5G, has launched what it described as Central Asia's first satellite-to-mobile services, and is planning a data centre cluster designed to scale to 1GW. It is also developing a trans-Caspian fibre route intended to link Asian and European data networks.

Regional role

M360 Eurasia has become a regular meeting point for mobile operators, regulators, investors and digital businesses in Central Asia and neighbouring markets. The GSMA presents the series as a regional forum for industry discussion, with each edition focused on local market conditions and policy issues.

Laszlo Toth, Head of Europe and Central Asia at the GSMA, said: "The decision to bring M360 Eurasia to Kazakhstan reflects the strong and longstanding collaboration between the GSMA and the country's digital ecosystem. From spectrum policy and 5G deployment to digital infrastructure, AI innovation and the development of local language AI capabilities, we have seen growing momentum in the region across a range of strategic priorities. Astana is a natural setting for this next chapter of M360 Eurasia, bringing together industry leaders, policymakers and innovators from across the region and beyond to help shape the future of the digital economy."

The relocation gives Kazakhstan a high-profile platform as it seeks to strengthen its position as a digital hub between Europe and Asia. For the GSMA, it keeps the series centred on a region where mobile infrastructure, regulation and cross-border digital links remain central to economic policy.

Zhaslan Madiyev, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan, said: "Hosting the GSMA M360 Eurasia international forum in Astana in 2027 is a significant event that once again confirms Kazakhstan's status as a key digital and telecommunications hub in the region. The GSMA is the world's largest organisation representing leading mobile operators and shaping industry-wide standards. For our country, hosting M360 Eurasia will provide an authoritative platform to strengthen international cooperation, attract investment and advance infrastructure, telecom and AI initiatives across Central Asia and beyond."

Local backing

Beeline Kazakhstan's role as host sponsor extends the GSMA's relationship with VEON after earlier editions in Uzbekistan. It also highlights the role large regional operators continue to play in shaping the agenda around mobile investment and digital services in Central Asia.

Kazakhstan's telecoms market has been drawing attention as operators roll out newer forms of connectivity and government officials push for broader digital transformation. The reference to satellite-to-mobile services points to efforts to widen coverage and test alternative infrastructure models in a region where geography can complicate network deployment.

Jabbor Kayumov, Chief Executive Officer of Beeline Kazakhstan, said: "Kazakhstan has developed a strong community of telco and digital companies, with innovations such as the recent launch of Starlink Mobile demonstrating the country's ability to bring advanced connectivity solutions to the region. M360 Eurasia 2027 will provide an opportunity to share expertise with an international audience and contribute to its further integration into the global technology ecosystem."