Mixed Progress Globally in 2018 Connecting the Unconnected

The goal of “everyone connected to the internet” saw mixed progress in 2018, one report suggests.  “We are seeing steady progress in the number and percentage of households connected to the Internet, narrowing the gender gap and improving accessibility for people with disabilities,” the latest Inclusive Internet Index report says.

Some might focus on a digital divide that appears to be widening at the bottom of the income pyramid, according to the latest iteration of the Inclusive Internet Index. Others would point to the progress being made.

On one hand, “growth in Internet connections is slowing, especially among the lowest income countries, and efforts to close the digital divide are stalling, in part due to declining affordability in a number of low-income countries,” the report states.

source: Inclusive Internet Index

On the other hand, mobile data affordability improved globally, thanks largely to improvements in lower-middle-income countries. However, the cost of prepaid data plans increased in 39 out of the 84 countries that were studied.

Also, networks and coverage are better. 4G coverage is better, and the connection quality of fixed broadband and mobile connections, such as download and upload speeds, has improved globally.

For example, the world’s average mobile download speed improved by 36 percent to 21.9 Mbps from 16.1 Mbps, with the biggest gains in South Asia. Lower middle-income countries have had a significant improvement of 66 percent in 4G coverage. However, low-income countries saw more-modest progress with a 22 percent improvement.

Gender gaps in Internet access are narrowing globally, led by low-income and lower-middle-income countries. In some countries, women’s Internet access actually exceeds that of men, with the Philippines, Ireland, China and Argentina having the largest majorities.

Mobile broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants grew just 0.3 percent so far in 2019, and in low-income countries subscriptions actually declined, the report says. \

Perhaps ironically, as 4G gets faster in developed countries, and 5G launches, the gap with the bottom of the pyramid will grow.