Overview:
Internet connectivity is emerging as one of the fundamental pillars of societal well-being. As part of the sustainable development goals, the United Nations aims, “to significantly increase access to information and communications technology”, and will strive, “to provide universal and affordable access to the Internet in the least developed countries by 2020”.
While 5G, IoT and other technological advancements are rapidly entering the market in many nations, there are still over three billion people who are not connected to the internet. A majority of those without access are in developing regions where concomitant factors of poor national governance, a dearth of relevant infrastructure, and lack of inward investment, serve to limit the populations’ access to basic connectivity.
This report aims to identify the underlying drivers of lack of internet access and to highlight which companies are making progress in closing the digital divide. Can access be provided profitably and, if so, how can it be achieved in a sustainable manner? This report focuses on the two main elements, availability and affordability, as they are central to the telecommunications industry’s ability to influence. This report will help players across the handset and network value chain to holistically analyse the current state of the internet connectivity and communication technologies.
Table of Contents:
- Introduction
- Availability – Covering the coverage gaps
- Affordability – the device, the service and everything else
- Case Study
- Conclusion & Outlook
Number of Pages: 21
Author: Peter Richardson and Varun Mishra