Over 3 Billion Worldwide Still disconnected Despite mobile Internet Availability: GSMA Calls for New Strategies
LONDON โ- September 9, โ2025 โ- Despite โwidespread mobile internet coverage, aโค meaningfulโฃ digitalโ divide persists, leaving over 3.1 billion people unconnected, โaccording to the GSMA’s latest State of Mobile Internet Connectivity report releasedโค today. While 4.7 billion people – 58% of the global population – now access the internet via thier mobile devices, a ample 38% remain in the “useโ gap,” hindered โby factors beyondโฃ simply a lack of network availability.
The report highlights a stark reality: 96% of the world’s population now lives within areas covered by mobile internet.Though, an additional 300 million peopleโ (4% โคof the global โpopulation) still reside in “coverage gap” areas, completely without access. This brings the totalโ number of unconnected individuals to 3.4 โbillion as of 2024.
Theโ primary challenge isn’t infrastructure, but access. the vast majority โof those disconnected live in areas with coverage,but face barriers preventing them from getting online. For many in low- and medium-income countries, mobile devices are the primary – โขand often onlyโฃ – pathway to the internet, accounting for 84% of all internet connectionsโ globally. A staggering 93% of those without connection reside in thes developing economies (Pibm).
Affordability โขremains a critical obstacle. The โcost of a basic internet-enabled mobile โคdeviceโ currently represents 16% of the average monthly income in lower-income nations. For the poorest 20% of the โฃpopulation, that โฃfigure jumps dramatically to 48%.
“$30 coudl โคmake phones affordable for up โขto 1.6 billionโข people who currently cannot access the available mobile internet coverage,” stated Vivek Badrinath, Director General of the GSMA. “Achieving this requires a concertedโ and collaborative effort between the โฃmobile industry, device manufacturers, policymakers, financial institutions,โ andโ others – a duty we must all share.”
The GSMA emphasizes the crucial socio-economic benefits of internet access, pointing to increased access to essential services like healthcare, education, andโ banking, particularly via mobile platforms.
“In 96% of the world, the infrastructure to connect to the internet through mobile is available,” Badrinathโ added. “Eliminating theโ remaining barriers is essential to ensure that the existing digital gap doesn’t widen.”
Read the full report here: https://www.gsma.com/somic/
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*โ Keywords: Mobile internet,digital divide,connectivity,GSMA,internet access