Connected Society The State of Mobile Internet Connectivity 2020 Copyright © 2020 GSM Association GSMA Connected Society The GSMA represents the interests of mobile The Connected Society programme works with operators worldwide, uniting more than 750 the mobile industry, technology companies, the operators with nearly 400 companies in the development community and governments to broader mobile ecosystem, including handset and increase access to and adoption of mobile internet, device makers, software companies, equipment focusing on underserved population groups in providers and internet companies, as well as developing markets. Key activities include: organisations in adjacent industry sectors. The • Generating and disseminating insights and learnings GSMA also produces the industry-leading MWC on the mobile internet coverage and usage gap. events held annually in Barcelona, Los Angeles and Shanghai, as well as the Mobile 360 Series of • Supporting mobile operators to extend coverage regional conferences. and drive usage. For more information, please visit the GSMA • Undertaking advocacy and policy work to corporate website at www.gsma.com ensure that mobile operators’ efforts to achieve greater digital inclusion are being effectively Follow the GSMA on Twitter: @GSMA supported by governments, the international community and other stakeholders. For more information, please visit www.gsma.com/connected-society To get in touch with the Connected Society team, please email [email protected] GSMA Intelligence is the definitive source of global Lead authors: mobile operator data, analysis and forecasts, and Kalvin Bahia, Anne Delaporte publisher of authoritative industry reports and Analysis by: research. Our data covers every operator group, Federico Agnoletto, Stefano Suardi network and MVNO in every country worldwide — from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe. It is the most Contributors: accurate and complete set of industry metrics Kevin Bowman, Genaro Cruz, Claire Sibthorpe, Melle available, comprising tens of millions of individual Tiel Groenestege, Robert Wyrzykowski data points, updated daily. Published: September 2020 GSMA Intelligence is relied on by leading operators, vendors, regulators, financial institutions and third-party industry players, to support strategic decision-making and long-term investment planning. The data is used as an industry reference point and is frequently cited by the media and by the industry itself. Our team of analysts and experts produce regular thought-leading research reports across a range of industry topics. This material has been funded by UK aid from www.gsmaintelligence.com the UK government; however the views expressed do not necessarily reflect the UK government’s [email protected] official policies. THE STATE OF MOBILE INTERNET CONNECTIVITY REPORT 2020 Contents Foreword 5 1. Introduction and key findings 6 2. Overview of state of mobile internet coverage and usage 12 3. Mobile internet adoption and use: barriers and drivers 21 4. Expanding mobile broadband coverage 40 5. Conclusion and outlook 46 Appendix 1: About the Mobile Connectivity Index 48 Appendix 2: GSMA Intelligence Consumers in Focus Survey 51 Appendix 3: Additional figures 54 Appendix 4: Definitions of terms used in this report 60 3 THE STATE OF MOBILE INTERNET CONNECTIVITY REPORT 2020 4 THE STATE OF MOBILE INTERNET CONNECTIVITY REPORT 2020 Foreword We are living in extraordinary times. Many of us coverage gap fell from 10 per cent to 7 per cent of have been impacted by unprecedented restrictions the population - or just under 600 million people. to everyday life, following measures to contain the However, despite the significant advances in mobile rapid spread of COVID-19. The pandemic has broadband deployment and adoption, billions of increased our collective reliance on the internet and people face considerable barriers to going online. in many cases accelerated the use of digital There are still 3.4 billion people who live in an area technologies. As an industry, we recognise the covered by a mobile broadband network but who critical role we play at this time in ensuring and are not using the mobile internet – the usage gap. maintaining connectivity for citizens around the In fact, the usage gap is now 6 times larger than world. It is in this context that it is important to the coverage gap. consider both the progress that has been achieved and challenges that remain to digital inclusion for This lack of internet use not only excludes individuals all as highlighted in this report on the State of Mobile from opportunities to overcome the social and Internet Connectivity. economic impact of the current crisis, but also limits the ability of governments to effectively manage In the face of lockdowns, billions of individuals have the pandemic and its economic fallout. turned to the internet to connect to friends and family, access education or health information, and This report shows that the usage gap is a global safeguard a limited level of economic activity. Mobile challenge, but that significant regional disparities is no longer just a convenient accessory. It has persist. If we don’t take action now, we run the risk become indispensable to our daily lives, especially in of reinforcing existing inequalities in the digital world low- and middle-income countries where mobile and further marginalising vulnerable people. accounts for 87 per cent of all broadband connections. As an industry, we are working hard to overcome the Mobile operators all over the world have been barriers to mobile internet adoption, by improving pro-active, supporting our customers as well as access to affordable devices and data plans, building governments with vital services and robust digital skills, investing in local digital ecosystems to networks. Despite surging data traffic, for example, make services more relevant, and by ensuring that our industry has delivered a seven per cent the internet is safe and secure to use. improvement in download speeds during the pandemic, highlighting the investments that we This crisis reminds us that mobile is more essential have made to ensure networks have sufficient than ever. Connectivity opens a window to the capacity and are resilient. world, over and above the limits of the pandemic. Let’s ensure that together we continue to drive As this report highlights, mobile continues to digital inclusion for all and deliver on the promise accelerate digital inclusion and drive increased of a web that benefits humanity. connectivity with 3.8 billion people now using mobile internet. There has been continued Stéphane Richard expansion of mobile broadband networks and the CEO of Orange and Chairman of the GSMA 5 THE STATE OF MOBILE INTERNET CONNECTIVITY REPORT 2020 1. Introduction and key findings Connectivity has never been more important, and the world’s reliance on the internet has never been greater. The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the importance of the internet and the critical role of mobile, which is the primary way most people access the internet. Internet access and services have helped to ensure the functioning of emergency services, allowed separated friends and families to stay informed and keep in touch, and enabled large parts of the workforce to continue to be productive throughout the crisis. 6 THE STATE OF MOBILE INTERNET CONNECTIVITY REPORT 2020 Since 2015, 1 billion people have gained access to • What are the key trends in connectivity over the period the internet through a mobile phone – many for and how do these compare across regions, gender and the first time. By the end of 2019, almost half the rural/urban populations? world’s population was using mobile internet. Despite • What are the barriers and drivers to the use of mobile this growth, 51% of the population is still not using internet and how have these changed over time? mobile internet, either because of a lack of mobile • What are the achievements and challenges in broadband coverage or key barriers such as a lack extending broadband coverage? of awareness, affordability, or a lack of literacy and digital skills. The findings of this report are based on two analytical tools – the GSMA Mobile Connectivity Index1 and the Bridging the persistent digital divide and providing GSMA Intelligence Consumers in Focus Survey. The mobile internet access to the 4 billion people still not Mobile Connectivity Index is a tool that measures the connected is more important than ever in the current performance of 170 countries (representing 99% of the context. Meanwhile, it is becoming increasingly global population) against the key enablers of mobile challenging as the unconnected tend to be poorer, internet adoption: infrastructure; affordability; consumer have lower levels of education and live in rural areas. readiness; and content and services. The Consumers in As this report shows, there has been strong progress Focus Survey has been carried out every year since 2017 over the last five years, with significant increases in and in 2019 included 15 low- and middle-income countries. mobile internet coverage and adoption. However, Together, these provide objective, quantitative metrics if current trends continue, more than 40% of the to track the key enablers of mobile internet adoption population in low- and middle-income countries will and usage, as well as insights from consumers on what remain offline in 2025. prevents them from using mobile internet.2 The State of Mobile Internet Connectivity 2020 The analysis contained