According to a recent report from the GSM Association, more than half (54%) of the population - or 4.3 billion people - own a smartphone. And among the 4.6 billion who use the mobile Internet, 4 billion do so on smartphones, while the remaining 600 million individuals (or 8% of the world population) access it with an “old-fashioned†mobile phone. â€.
Zoom on the global mobile internet
69% of smartphone owners use the internet with a 4G compatible device, while 17% do so with a 5G device, especially in North America and the East Asia & Pacific region. However, 69% of smartphones used to access the internet in sub-Saharan Africa and 33% in the Middle East and North Africa are only 3G compatible. A sign that 3G (and even 2G) networks are still important to millions of users in low- and middle-income countries. Mobile broadband coverage has not changed much in the last year, with 95% of the world's population close to a suitable network. The remaining 5% still do not have access to this network, or 400 million people.
A word to Mats Granryd, Director General of the GSMA
“Mobile is the primary – and, in most cases, the only – way that most people in low- and middle-income countries access the internet,†notes Mats Granryd, Director General of the GSMA. The slowing growth rate of mobile internet adoption is concerning. Lack of connectivity will deprive billions of people of access to essential services and diverse income-generating opportunities, likely disproportionately impacting poorer, less educated, rural users and women. As the cost of living crisis and rising climate-related emergencies further impact these groups, there is an urgent need to accelerate digital inclusion and remove barriers to prevent the digital divide from continuing to widen. .
