Page 83 - SAMENA Trends - November-December 2022

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Internet More Affordable and Widespread, but World’s Poorest Still Shut Off

from Online Opportunities

The cost of Internet services has inched
downward across the globe in 2022,
according to Facts and Figures, the
annual worldwide overview on the state of
digital connectivity from the International
Telecommunication Union (ITU). The
Internet has become more affordable in
all regions of the world and among all
income groups, based on the assessment
from ITU, the United Nations specialized
agency for information and communication
technologies (ICTs). Cost, however, remains
a major obstacle to Internet access,
especially in low-income economies. The
current global economic situation – with
high inflation, rising interest rates, and deep
uncertainty – could add to the challenge of
extending Internet reach in lower-income the Internet from a smartphone. The in 2022 compared to 69 per cent of men,
areas. “The Internet may be more affordable affordability of this service has become a according to Facts and Figures 2022. The
overall, but for billions of people around the benchmark for global Internet use, since gender gap is even more concerning in
world, it is just as out of reach as ever," said it provides relatively inexpensive access lower-income nations in which 21 per cent
ITU Secretary-General Houlin Zhao. “We compared to fixed Internet service. Still, for of women are online compared to 32 per
need to keep Internet affordability moving the average consumer in most low-income cent of men, a figure that has not improved
in the right direction even as the global economies, the cost of fixed or mobile since 2019. Overall, the world has moved
downturn cuts deeper into the economic broadband services remains too high. A closer toward gender parity over the last
prospects of many countries." ITU's Facts basic mobile data plan in these countries three years. Gender parity is defined as
and Figures series features estimates for was found to cost on average 9 per cent of when the female percentage of Internet
key connectivity indicators for the world, average income. This represents a slight users divided by the male percentage
regions, and selected country groups. decrease from 2021, but it remains many stands between 0.98 and 1.02. The gender
The assessment provides context on the times greater than the cost of similar parity score improved from 0.90 in 2019
evolving digital divide while also reviewing services in higher-income countries. The to 0.92 in 2022. Generally, regions with
progress towards closing it. Earlier this result is that those who can least afford the highest Internet use also have the
year, ITU reported that 2.7 billion people – broadband service – and that could highest gender parity scores. Conversely,
roughly one-third of the global population benefit the most from it – are paying the many of the world's least developed and
– remain unconnected to the Internet. The highest amounts in relative terms. Earlier vulnerable economies feature low Internet
figure was an improvement from 2021 but this year, ITU and the Office of the UN use, a low gender parity score, and limited
revealed a levelling off from the strong Secretary-General's Envoy on Technology progress toward gender parity over the last
connectivity gains made during the onset announced ambitious targets for universal three years. For the first time, ITU's Facts
and height of the COVID-19 pandemic. and meaningful digital connectivity to be and Figures features global and regional
“Access to the Internet is increasing, but achieved by 2030. Affordability, defined as estimates for mobile phone ownership,
not as quickly and evenly across the world the availability of broadband access at a revealing that almost three-quarters of the
as it needs to," said Doreen Bogdan-Martin, price that is less than 2 per cent of monthly global population aged 10 and over own a
Director of ITU's Telecommunication GNI per capita, was identified as a priority mobile phone in 2022. Mobile phones are
Development Bureau and ITU Secretary- to ensure that everyone can benefit fully the most common gateway to Internet use,
General-elect. “Too many people still live from connectivity. Among the economies with the percentage of ownership serving
in digital darkness. Our global challenge is for which data are available for both 2021 as an indicator of Internet availability and
to commit the resources that would allow and 2022, more countries met the 2 per access. Ownership of mobile phones,
everyone to benefit in a meaningful way cent affordability target in 2022 across however, remains higher than Internet
from being connected." According to Facts the different types of services. Although use, especially in lower-income countries.
and Figures 2022, the global median price women account for close to half the world's Reliance on mobile-cellular service could
of mobile-broadband services dropped population, 259 million fewer women have be a further indication of the impact of
from 1.9 per cent to 1.5 per cent of average access to the Internet than men. Only 63 costs, with overall prices for cellular-
gross national income (GNI) per capita. per cent of women are using the Internet only service being less expensive than
Mobile broadband allows users to access
83 NOVEMBER- DECEMBER 2022