Internet connectivity infrastructure underpins much of modern society. As the Internet’s use continues to grow and ever more applications rely on its smooth operation, there is an obvious need for continual investments in the underlying connectivity infrastructure. However, the Internet is not a homogeneous entity but an infrastructure of many thousands of assets and networks, each with separate owners and investors making discrete investment decisions. Shifts are taking place across all parts of the infrastructure in terms of who invests, what they invest in, and how those investments contribute to the overall connectivity chain.
This report sheds light on the state of investment in Internet connectivity infrastructure. It evaluates and quantifies the investments being made in the mobile Internet connectivity infrastructure as part of the broader Internet connectivity infrastructure and, in particular, who is investing in each segment, who are the key groups of suppliers, and how changing usage patterns, traffic flows, and distribution technologies are affecting the balance of investments across the segments.
The report demonstrates that Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) contribute 85% of the total investment in mobile internet connectivity infrastructure globally, playing the ‘keystone’ role in funding the networks that underpin modern digital economies worldwide. With annual investments in mobile internet infrastructure (excluding end-user devices) reaching $127 billion, MNOs alone contribute $109 billion – far exceeding the investments made by other groups of investors, such as cloud service providers and content and application providers (CAPs).
