According to a recent publication by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), global connectivity grew to around 6.3 billion people in 2026. Although this means that around 76% of the world’s population is now online – up from 74% (6.1 billion people) in 2025 – around 2 billion people still have no Internet access.
The report highlights a stark digital divide based on national wealth. In wealthy countries, internet use stands at 93%, while only 32% of people in poor countries have access.
Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Secretary-General of the ITU, warned that in an era dominated by artificial intelligence, people without Internet access are being deprived of essential opportunities in the labour market and education, and stressed the urgent need for inclusive and impactful internet access.
Demographic and geographical inequalities also persist. Data showed that men are more likely to be online (79%) than women (74%), and that urban residents (82%) are significantly more likely to have access than people living in rural areas (63%).
Although basic mobile coverage is almost universal, the same is not true of advanced infrastructure. 5G technology is available to 59% of the world’s population, but there is a huge gap between high-income countries, where coverage stands at 86%, and low-income countries, where it is just 4%.
Financial constraints also remain an obstacle: 30% of the world’s economies cannot meet the standard affordability targets for mobile or fixed broadband.
Business AM
Ltd
