Mobile’s impact on the SDGs in Eurasia
Mobile technology has been fundamental to expanding connectivity across Eurasia, driving the industry’s impact on SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure and SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities.62
Across Central Asia and the South Caucasus, for example, more than 40% of the population on average live in rural, and often mountainous, areas.63 In such places, mobile connectivity is typically the first, and often only, form of access to internet connectivity because of limited fixed broadband infrastructure and the costs associated with deployment in rural environments.
4G is the dominant technology in seven countries in Eurasia region (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkmenisan and Uzbekistan), but 3G still accounts for around a quarter of total connections across the other markets. Growing 4G adoption will allow users to access more data-intensive services, supporting the mobile industry’s contribution across multiple SDGs. Demand in the region for using mobile to access life-enhancing services is evidenced by progress on SDG 4: Quality Education.
SDG mobile impact scores, Eurasia
Source: GSMA Intelligence
Key drivers of SDG mobile impact scores
Mobile broadband coverage and penetration, Eurasia
Source: GSMA Intelligence
| 2015 | 2023 | 2015 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile broadband coverage (% of total population) | 190 million | 230 million | 84% | 97% |
| Mobile penetration (% of total population) | 150 million | 180 million | 65% | 78% |
| Mobile internet penetration (% of total population) | 95 million | 150 million | 42% | 66% |
Mobile usage by activity, Eurasia
Source: GSMA Intelligence
| Use cases | 2015 | 2023 | 2015 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Watch videos | 70 million | 160 million | 48% | 85% |
| Make video calls | 70 million | 160 million | 49% | 85% |
| Read news | 80 million | 150 million | 55% | 80% |
| Use social media | 85 million | 150 million | 57% | 80% |
| Search for information | 80 million | 140 million | 54% | 79% |
| Use mobile financial services | 55 million | 170 million | 26% | 76% |
| Access information to support training, learning or education | 50 million | 130 million | 33% | 72% |
| Access government services/ information | 40 million | 130 million | 27% | 71% |
| Access health services/ information | 30 million | 120 million | 18% | 64% |
| Buy goods or services | 50 million | 120 million | 33% | 64% |
| Manage or pay bills | 20 million | 120 million | 15% | 63% |
| Access information to help with work or job | 35 million | 100 million | 25% | 55% |
| Use agricultural services | 15 million | 40 million | 10% | 23% |