Almost 100 crore people in South Asia not using internet despite mobile data coverage: Report

In South Asia, almost 100 crore people are living in areas where mobile internet is available but are not using it.

Mobile internet | GSMA report | Mobile internet usage

Around 35 per cent of the total population has 5G coverage.(Image Source: Unsplash)

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Mobile internet is becoming more accessible every year, with the number of people using mobile broadband increasing to 460 crores by the end of 2022.

According to “The State of Mobile Internet Connectivity Report 2023” by GSMA, the non-profit organisation that represents mobile network operators worldwide, 57 per cent (around 460 crores) of the world’s population are now using mobile internet. Still, the adoption rate has slowed down compared to 2021.

The report also states that despite having connectivity, 38 per cent of the total population is living in areas where mobile internet is available but are not using the service.

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In the list of surveyed countries, mobile users who had internet access said some of the major factors they weren’t able to access the internet included affordability of handsets, lack of literacy and digital skills. While more than 80 per cent of the popular is aware of mobile internet, the report suggests the figures are particularly lower for women and those living in rural areas.

While 4G and 5G services seem to be expanding rapidly, 2G and 3G still account for the majority of traffic, especially in low to middle-income countries. While 90 per cent of Earth’s population is covered by 4G, around 32 per cent have 5G coverage, marking a 7 per cent increase compared to last year.

If we look at South Asia, almost 1oo crore people covered by mobile internet are not using it despite coverage while 8 crores live in areas where mobile internet is unavailable. The number of connected people stands at 84 crores. According to the Mobile Connectivity Index, the top country in South Asia last year was India, with 99 per cent of the population covered by mobile internet, out of which 60 per cent had a mobile broadband connection.