Connected Society
Accelerating digital inclusion for underserved population groups in low- and middle-income countries.
About us
Mobile is the primary – and in some cases only – way most people in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) access the internet, particularly for women and those living in rural areas. While mobile has been driving digital inclusion, there remain significant connectivity gaps. Of the 3.4 billion people who remain unconnected to mobile internet, 3 billion of them live in an area already covered by mobile broadband but do not use mobile internet services.
We work with mobile operators and their partners to address the barriers to mobile internet adoption and use in LMICs, focusing on underserved population groups.
Must-read resources
All our latest news, reports and research in one place.
The State of Mobile Internet Connectivity Report
A comprehensive overview of the trends in global connectivity, and insights on the key barriers to mobile internet adoption and use
A needs-based approach to mobile digital skills training: Learnings from India and Ghana
Insights from Orange Sierra Leone: Approaches for implementing a successful agent-based digital skills training programme
Making internet-enabled handsets more affordable in low- and middle-income countries
The State of Mobile Internet Connectivity
By the end of 2022, the number of people using mobile internet increased to 4.6 billion people. But the growth rate at which people are adopting mobile internet has slowed, and significant digital divides persist.
GSMA Mobile Connectivity Index
The MCI measures the performance of 170 countries against key enablers of mobile internet adoption: infrastructure; affordability; consumer readiness; and content and services.
GSMA Mobile Internet Skills Training Toolkit
MISTT is a set of free resources for teaching people the basic mobile digital skills they need to access and use mobile internet. It has been used to train more than 70 million people.
Assistive Tech
Our mission is to drive greater access and use of mobile technologies for persons with disabilities in emerging markets and maximise opportunities for social and economic inclusion.
Mobile Digital Skills Alliance
The Alliance is a learning, communications and collaboration network that brings together key stakeholders in response to the mobile digital skills gap in LMICs.
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