The State of Mobile Internet Connectivity

The final report in this series explores how affordability of entry-level, internet-enabled handsets and various data bundles have changed over time, and how affordability impacts different segments of the population.

This fifth report in the series focuses on the barriers people face to adopting mobile internet and using it more, as well as how these differ by country and whether they live in a rural or urban area.

This fourth report in the series goes beyond mobile internet adoption to examine how people actually use mobile internet. It looks at frequency of use, the range of online activities they engage in, and the differences in use across countries and demographics.

This third report in the series examines how network coverage and infrastructure are expanding, and investigates network quality. These factors affect people’s ability to access the internet and their experience when doing so.

This second report in the series explores how mobile internet adoption has evolved since 2015. It examines three areas: the share of the population using mobile internet, the proportion still living outside mobile broadband coverage (the coverage gap), and those who live within mobile broadband coverage but are not yet online (the usage gap).

The State of Mobile Internet Connectivity 2025 considers the importance of not just mobile broadband coverage but ‘meaningful connectivity’ – users having a safe, satisfying, enriching and productive online experience that is affordable in their context. This is the first in the series and summarises the key findings from the other five publications.

More people than ever before are now accessing the internet through mobile devices. 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.

The State of Mobile Internet Connectivity Report 2023 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 and use.

The State of Mobile Internet Connectivity 2022 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 and use. It includes, for the first time, insight on mobile internet connectivity among adults and by income group, as well as an assessment of the situation in the least developed countries.