Mobile internet is connecting more people to the internet than ever before. By the end of 2022, 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 slowed in the last year, and significant digital divides persist. 

Despite the benefits of connectivity, 38% of the global population are living within mobile broadband coverage but are not using it – the usage gap. Furthermore, 5% are still not covered by mobile broadband – the coverage gap. 

In The State of Mobile Internet Connectivity Report 2023 we provide 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, data on the device type people are using to connect, revealing significant regional variations. 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 which measures the performance of 170 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.

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