GSMA: Mobile Adoption Worldwide Slowing

The proportion of the world's population using mobile internet on its own devices is growing but at a slowing pace, GSMA said Wednesday. Between 2015 and 2021, more than 200 million users were added annually, but 2023, like 2022, saw 160 million begin using mobile internet, it said. In all, 4.6 billion people -- 57% of the world's population -- are using mobile internet on their own device -- but another 350 million are in remote areas without mobile internet coverage and 3.1 billion can access coverage but don't, GSMA said. The least-connected region is sub-Saharan Africa, with 27% of the population using mobile internet service. Device affordability and digital literacy are major barriers to broader adoption.