The State of Mobile

Internet Connectivity
2023
Global key trends
The State of Mobile Internet Connectivity 2023 2/7

Global mobile internet connectivity

In 2022, 200 million additional
people started using mobile
internet, with 57% of the
population now using mobile 11% 8% 7% 6% 5% 5%
internet. However, the growth 0.85bn 0.64bn 0.54bn 0.46bn 0.42bn 0.38bn
rate at which people are
adopting mobile internet
slowed in 2022.

5% of the world’s population – 42% 40% 38%
46% 45% 3.04bn
almost 400 million people – are 46% 3.30bn 3.14bn
3.51bn 3.45bn
still not covered by a mobile 3.49bn
broadband network.

 8% of the world’s population –

3
3 billion people – are not using
mobile internet despite living in
areas with mobile broadband 52% 55% 57% Coverage gap
46% 49% (not covered and
coverage. This usage gap 43% 4.07bn 4.35bn 4.56bn not connected)
3.51bn 3.76bn
remains almost eight times the 3.24bn Usage gap (covered
but not connected)
size of the coverage gap.
Connected

2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

Source: GSMA Intelligence. ‘Usage gap’ refers to populations that live within the footprint of a mobile broadband network but who are not using mobile internet.
‘Coverage gap’ refers to populations that do not live within the footprint of a mobile broadband network (3G or above). NB: totals may not add up to 100% due to rounding.
The State of Mobile Internet Connectivity 2023 3/7

Global mobile internet connectivity breakdown


At the end of 2022, 49% of
the global population was
using mobile internet on a
smartphone.

 et 350 million smartphone

Y 8% 7% 6% 5% 5%
11%
owners – 5% of the global
Coverage gap
population – were not using 26%
28% 27%
mobile internet. 29% 29% Not covered by
29% mobile broadband

 % of the global population

8 8%
9% 8% Usage gap
were accessing the internet 10% 5%
11% 5% No device
via a feature phone, 12% 5% 8%
5% 5% 9%
equivalent to roughly 10%
5% 10%
Other phone but
600 million people. 11% not connected
12% Smartphone but

Around two-thirds of not connected

those covered by mobile 46% 49%

broadband but not using it 39% 42% Connected
31% 35% Connected without
(i.e. the usage gap) have no smartphone
mobile device. Connected with
smartphone
2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

Source: GSMA Intelligence. ‘Usage gap’ refers to populations that live within the footprint of a mobile broadband network but who are not using mobile internet.
‘Coverage gap’ refers to populations that do not live within the footprint of a mobile broadband network (3G or above). NB: totals may not add up to 100% due to rounding.
The State of Mobile Internet Connectivity 2023 4/7

Global coverage and download speeds


At the end of 2022, 32%
of the global population
– equivalent to 2.6 billion 3G 4G 5G
people – were covered by a
5G network. Coverage Coverage Coverage Average download speeds


The gap between 3G
coverage and 4G coverage
continues to narrow, having
89% 2017 71% 2017 0% 2017 12.0 Mbps 2017

decreased from 18% in 2017

to 5% in 2022. 92% 2018 80% 2018 0% 2018 14.3 Mbps 2018


Average download speeds
have almost tripled in the last 93% 2019 84% 2019 4% 2019 16.8 Mbps 2019
five years, from 12.0Mbps in
2017 to 33.9Mbps in 2022.
94% 2020 86% 2020 16% 2020 20.7 Mbps 2020
95% 2021 89% 2021 25% 2021 27.2 Mbps 2021

95% 2022 90% 2022 32% 2022 33.9 Mbps 2022

The State of Mobile Internet Connectivity 2023 5/7

Affordability of data plans and cheapest internet-enabled

handsets across low- and middle-income countries


In 2022, the affordability of Cost of 1GB and 6.0%
5.5%
data continues to improve 5GB of data as 5.0%
across most regions. % of monthly
GDP per capita 4.0% 3.9%
3.5%

Globally, the affordability 3.0% 3.0% 3.1%
of an entry-level internet- 1GB
2.1%
2.5%
2.0% 2.0% 2.0% 1.9%
enabled handset has reduced 5GB
1.6% 1.4%
since 2017 but remained 1.0%
relatively unchanged in 2022
0%
at 16% of monthly income. 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

Cost of cheapest 25%

internet-enabled 21% 21%
20%
handset as % of 19% 19%
17%
monthly GDP per 15% 16%
capita
10%

5%

0%
2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
NB: Percentages are rounded
The State of Mobile Internet Connectivity 2023 6/7

Global Mobile Connectivity Index scores

The Mobile Connectivity
Average Global MCI scores, 2017-2022 MCI scores of most improved countries between 2017 and 2022
Index (MCI) measures the
performance of 170 countries 61
against the four key enablers
60
of mobile internet adoption:
infrastructure; affordability; 59 58

consumer readiness; and 53 54

content and services. The index 57 57 48

53

is built up through 32 indicators 44 45 44

feeding into 11 dimensions that 42 43 42
55 41
42
are aggregated to give a score 38 38
for four enablers. Scores fall 34 34 33 35
within a range of 0-100. 31
29 28 29
2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
23 24
20
Countries at the top of the MCI in 2022
12 13 12
1 Singapore 10
2 Switzerland
2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
3 Denmark

4 Australia Venezuela Uzbekistan Zambia

5 Finland Sierra Leone Chad

https://www.mobileconnectivityindex.com/

The GSMA is a global organisation unifying the mobile
ecosystem to discover, develop and deliver innovation
foundational to positive business environments
and societal change. Our vision is to unlock the full
power of connectivity so that people, industry and
society thrive. Representing mobile operators and
organisations across the mobile ecosystem and
adjacent industries, the GSMA delivers for its
members across three broad pillars: Connectivity for
Good, Industry Services and Solutions and Outreach.
This activity includes advancing policy, tackling
today’s biggest societal challenges, underpinning the
technology and interoperability that make mobile
work and providing the world’s largest platform to
convene the mobile ecosystem at the MWC and M360
series of events.
We invite you to find out more at gsma.com
Follow the GSMA on Twitter/X: @GSMA
This material has been funded by UK Aid from the
UK Government; however, the views expressed
do not necessarily reflect the UK Government’s
official policies.
Published: October 2023
GSMA Connected Society
The Connected Society programme works with
the mobile industry, technology companies, the
development community and governments to increase
access to and adoption of mobile internet, focusing on
underserved population groups in developing markets.
For more information, please visit
www.gsma.com/connectedsociety
To get in touch with the Connected Society team,
please email connectedsociety@gsma.com
This document has been financed by the Swedish
International Development Cooperation Agency, Sida.
Sida does not necessarily share the views expressed
in this material. Responsibility for its contents rests
entirely with the author.
GSMA Intelligence is the definitive source of global
mobile operator data, analysis and forecasts, and
publisher of authoritative industry reports and
research. Our data covers every operator group,
network and MVNO in every country worldwide —
from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe. It is the most accurate
and complete set of industry metrics available,
comprising tens of millions of individual data points,
updated daily.
GSMA Intelligence is relied on by leading operators,
vendors, regulators, financial institutions and third-
party industry players, to support strategic decision-
making and long-term investment planning. The data
is used as an industry reference point and is frequently
cited by the media and by the industry itself.
Our team of analysts and experts produce regular
thought-leading research reports across a range of
industry topics.
www.gsmaintelligence.com
info@gsmaintelligence.com
GSMA Head Office
1 Angel Lane
London
EC4R 3AB
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)20 7356 0600
Fax: +44 (0)20 7356 0601