At the end of 2023, global 5G connections have exceeded 1.5 billion. However, over 100 countries, particularly in LMICs (Low- and Middle-Income Countries), have not launched 5G networks, the latest GSMA report said.
Almost 750 million additional people were covered by 5G in 2023. More than half of that was due to rollouts by operators in India alone. However, while 5G will be the focus of operators and governments in many LMICs, it will not be predominant everywhere by the end of the decade.
Awareness of Mobile Internet: In 2023, over 80 percent of the population in 7 out of 12 surveyed countries were aware of mobile internet. However, in five countries, 20–50 percent of the population still hadn’t heard of it. Women and people in rural areas remain less likely to be aware.
Barriers to Adoption: The main barriers to mobile internet adoption are affordability (especially of internet-enabled devices), lack of literacy and digital skills, and safety/security concerns. Affordability is a major issue in Sub-Saharan Africa, while digital skills are a key challenge in Asia.
Limited Use and Desire for More: Most mobile internet users access it daily but for only one or two activities, mainly communication, social media, and entertainment. Around 43 percent of users want to use mobile internet more but face barriers such as affordability, safety/security concerns, and poor connectivity.
Global Mobile Internet Usage: By the end of 2023, almost 4.3 billion people (53 percent of the global population) were accessing the internet through their own smartphones. 80 percent of mobile internet users were on 4G or 5G networks, reflecting a 330 million person increase from 2022.
3G and Feature Phone Usage: Despite growth in 4G and 5G usage, one in five mobile internet users globally still access the internet using a 3G smartphone or feature phone. This proportion is higher in regions like Latin America & the Caribbean, MENA, and Sub-Saharan Africa.
Non-Users in Covered Areas: Almost 90 percent of people not using mobile internet live in areas covered by mobile broadband. As of 2023, 3.1 billion people (39 percent of the global population) were living in these areas but were not using mobile internet.
Shared Access to Mobile Internet: In 2023, 730 million people accessed mobile internet on devices they did not own, including 440 million adults and 290 million children. While shared access is common among children, it limits adults from fully benefiting from mobile internet.
Data Usage and Speed: With more users migrating to 4G and 5G, average data usage per connection increased to almost 13 GB in 2023. Global average download speeds rose from 34 Mbps to 48 Mbps, but speeds vary significantly between high-income countries (nearly 100 Mbps) and LDCs (Less Developed Countries), where speeds remain below 20 Mbps.
