While virtually all urban areas in the world are covered by a mobile broadband network, gaps in connectivity and internet access persist in rural areas, according to a new report by the International Telecommunication Union.
Measuring Digital Development: Facts and Figures 2020 notes that connectivity gaps in rural areas are particularly pronounced in least developed countries, where 17% of the rural population live in areas with no mobile coverage at all, and 19% is covered by only a 2G network.
Furthermore, according to 2019 data, globally about 72% of households in urban areas have access to the internet – almost twice as much as in rural areas (38%).
ITU Secretary-General Houlin Zhao commented: "How much longer can we tolerate the significant gap in household connectivity between urban and rural areas? In the age of Covid, when so many are working and studying from home, this [report] sends the clear message that accelerating infrastructure roll-out is one of the most urgent and defining issues of our time."
Added Doreen Bogdan-Martin, director of the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau: “This edition of Measuring Digital Development: Facts and figures is released at a challenging time as Covid wreaks havoc on lives, societies and economies around the world.
“For the first time, our research contains estimates of the connectivity status of small island developing states and landlocked developing countries, in addition to least developed countries: this is a very important milestone in our efforts to achieve sustainable development for all.”
The research reveals that about a quarter of the population in least developed countries and landlocked developing countries, and about 15% of the population in small island developing states do not have access to a mobile broadband network, thus falling short of the Sustainable Development Goals Target 9.c to significantly increase access to information and communications technology and strive to provide universal and affordable access to the internet in least developed countries by 2020.
Not surprisingly, internet use is consistently more widespread among young people, irrespective of region or level of development. Whereas just over half of the total global population is using the internet, the proportion of internet use increases to almost 70% among young people aged 15-24.
Meanwhile, the roll-out of mobile broadband networks has been slowing in 2020. Between 2015 and 2020, 4G network coverage doubled globally and almost 85% of the global population will be covered by a 4G network by the end of 2020. Yet, annual growth has been slowing down gradually since 2017, and 2020 coverage is only 1.3 percentage points higher than 2019, says the ITU.
In addition to infrastructure roll-out, the digital gender divide, lack of digital skills and affordability continue to be major barriers to meaningful participation in a digital society, especially in the developing world where mobile telephony and internet access remain too expensive for many, concludes the report.
Furthermore, according to 2019 data, globally about 72% of households in urban areas have access to the internet – almost twice as much as in rural areas (38%).
ITU Secretary-General Houlin Zhao commented: "How much longer can we tolerate the significant gap in household connectivity between urban and rural areas? In the age of Covid, when so many are working and studying from home, this [report] sends the clear message that accelerating infrastructure roll-out is one of the most urgent and defining issues of our time."
Added Doreen Bogdan-Martin, director of the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau: “This edition of Measuring Digital Development: Facts and figures is released at a challenging time as Covid wreaks havoc on lives, societies and economies around the world.
“For the first time, our research contains estimates of the connectivity status of small island developing states and landlocked developing countries, in addition to least developed countries: this is a very important milestone in our efforts to achieve sustainable development for all.”
The research reveals that about a quarter of the population in least developed countries and landlocked developing countries, and about 15% of the population in small island developing states do not have access to a mobile broadband network, thus falling short of the Sustainable Development Goals Target 9.c to significantly increase access to information and communications technology and strive to provide universal and affordable access to the internet in least developed countries by 2020.
Not surprisingly, internet use is consistently more widespread among young people, irrespective of region or level of development. Whereas just over half of the total global population is using the internet, the proportion of internet use increases to almost 70% among young people aged 15-24.
Meanwhile, the roll-out of mobile broadband networks has been slowing in 2020. Between 2015 and 2020, 4G network coverage doubled globally and almost 85% of the global population will be covered by a 4G network by the end of 2020. Yet, annual growth has been slowing down gradually since 2017, and 2020 coverage is only 1.3 percentage points higher than 2019, says the ITU.
In addition to infrastructure roll-out, the digital gender divide, lack of digital skills and affordability continue to be major barriers to meaningful participation in a digital society, especially in the developing world where mobile telephony and internet access remain too expensive for many, concludes the report.
