Methodology: The Mobile Gender Gap Report 2026

This document details the methodology behind The Mobile Gender Gap 2026. This GSMA report is part of an annual series analysing the gender gap in mobile ownership, smartphone ownership and mobile internet adoption in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This accompanying methodology report describes the analysis and modelling techniques we used and highlights important methodological changes from previous years. 

This document is designed as a supplement to the main report and includes: 

1. The parameters of the GSMA Consumer Survey 2025, on which the findings of this study are based. 

2. Extrapolation models, which provide estimates of the gender gaps in mobile ownership, mobile internet adoption and smartphone ownership in LMICs not included in the GSMA Consumer Survey. 

3. Analytical approaches used to investigate the results of survey questions on mobile use, and the barriers preventing mobile internet adoption and use.