Half the world is now using mobile Internet

Coverage has increased but adoption is still a challenge, says GSMA.

The GSMA says that more than half of the world’s population is now using mobile Internet, an increase from a third in 2014.

The expansion of cellular coverage across the world means only 6% of people cannot access any mobile network, down from 24% six years ago, according to the industry body’s State of the Internet Connectivity Report.

However, this increase in coverage is not being matched by adoption. Of the 3.8 million people that do not use mobile broadband, only 450 million live in areas without a single mobile network. This means the adoption gap is now seven times the coverage gap.

The main barriers to adoption therefore are awareness, digital skills, and affordability. The report says that Covid-19 has increased the cost of both handsets and mobile data packages in certain parts of the world.

The GSMA wants a collaborative approach to solving the issue that includes input from governments, operators and the wider industry, adding that the pandemic has demonstrated the benefits of connectivity to society.