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State of Broadband report 2024

State of Broadband report 2024

State of Broadband report 2024

Report highlights how AI is shaping development in fields such as e-government, education, and health, while addressing associated risks and the digital divide.

ITU/UNESCO State of Broadband 2024: progress made, but universal access elusive

The annual ITU/UNESCO Broadband Commission's ‘State of Broadband’ report provides a comprehensive overview of global broadband connectivity. The 2024 edition shows that despite progress, universal internet access remains elusive.

The number of Internet users grew to 5.4 bn in 2023 and is projected to reach 5.5 billion by the end of 2024. However, some 2.6 bn people remain offline. That’s around 33% or one-third of the global population. The report notes that progress is uneven, with digital divides persisting, especially among women, the elderly, people with disabilities, and those in less economically developed regions. Despite improvements, many countries still face challenges in achieving universal broadband access. Around 38% of the global population is living within mobile broadband coverage without using it and 5% of the population still not covered by mobile broadband.

The report emphasizes how AI can help bridge the digital divide by bringing internet access to the 2.6 billion people who are still offline. AI's potential to enhance service delivery and productivity across different sectors is a central theme. The associated risks are also addressed, including energy consumption, misinformation, and the reinforcement of biases. It calls for responsible AI deployment to ensure equitable digital opportunities for all.

The ITU/UNESCO Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development has set several advocacy targets aimed at improving global broadband access and ensuring that it contributes to sustainable development. The Broadband Commission has reviewed its 2025 Advocacy Targets, noting that some goals, like mobile broadband affordability, are close to being met. However, targets related to gender equality in broadband access have only been achieved in some countries.

The Broadband Commission emphasizes the role of broadband in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Broadband connectivity is seen as a critical enabler for goals such as quality education (SDG 4), decent work and economic growth (SDG 8), industry, innovation, and infrastructure (SDG 9), and sustainable cities and communities (SDG 11). Since 2023, UNESCO has monitored school connectivity to assess digital transformation in education. Richer countries tend to report data on Internet connectivity in primary schools and have nearly universal coverage, while two-thirds of low-income countries lack data and fail to meet national benchmarks. Globally, in 2023, only 40% of primary, 50% of lower secondary, and 65% of upper secondary schools were connected to the Internet. Despite 85% of countries having policies to improve connectivity, only 16% guarantee data privacy in education by law. The ITU/UNICEF Giga project aims to connect schools and has mapped 2.1 million schools in 140 countries, out of about 7 million worldwide.

The surge in digital technologies and data traffic is driving increased energy demand. Data centers alone accounted for an estimated 2% of global electricity consumption in 2022, with projections indicating this could rise to nearly 6% by 2026, according to the IEA Electricity 2024 report. However, the report states that “As long as these energy needs are sourced responsibly and in a sustainable way, the growing energy requirements of ICTs and digital technologies need not spell environmental doom.”

The ITU/UNESCO Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development advocacy targets

By 2025, all countries should have a funded National Broadband Plan or strategy or include broadband in their Universal Access and Service (UAS) Definitions.

Ensure that by 2025, 75% of the world’s population has access to broadband Internet.

By 2025, entry-level broadband services should be made affordable in developing countries, amounting to less than 2% of monthly gross national income per capita.

By 2025, broadband Internet user penetration should reach 65% worldwide, 35% in Least Developed Countries (LDCs), and 70% in developing countries.

By 2025, 60% of youth and adults should have achieved at least a minimum level of proficiency in sustainable digital skills.

By 2025, 40% of the world’s adult population should be using digital financial services.

By 2025, digital content and services should be available in local languages and should reflect local culture and values.

By 2025, gender equality should be achieved across all targets, particularly in the access to and use of broadband Internet.