The State of Mobile Internet Connectivity 2024

More people than ever before are now accessing the internet through mobile devices. By the end of 2023, the number of people using mobile internet increased to 4.6 billion people (57% of the global population). However, the growth rate at which people are adopting mobile internet has remained flat, and significant digital divides persist. Closing these digital divides brings significant socioeconomic benefits and is more crucial than ever.

Despite the benefits of connectivity, 39% of the global population are living within mobile broadband coverage but are not using it – the usage gap. Furthermore, 4% are still not covered by mobile broadband – the coverage gap.

This report  provides the mobile industry and other stakeholders with a comprehensive overview of the trends in global connectivity, as well as insights on key barriers to mobile internet adoption. For the first time, it includes analysis of the barriers to further use of mobile internet, connectivity among children, and the economic impact of closing the usage gap. It also outlines recommendations for tackling the persistent gaps to digital inclusion.

Further country-level data can be found in the GSMA Mobile Connectivity Index, a tool that measures the performance of 173 countries against the key enablers of mobile internet adoption: infrastructure; affordability; consumer readiness; and content and services. The Index was developed as part of the mobile industry’s commitment to drive mobile internet connectivity and accelerate digital inclusion.