• GSMA says 3.1 billion people live within mobile broadband coverage but do not use mobile internet
  • Handset affordability remains the biggest reported adoption barrier across surveyed low- and middle-income countries

The fact

The GSMA's State of Mobile Internet Connectivity 2026 report says 4.8 billion people were using mobile internet on their own device by the end of 2025. Another 3.1 billion lived within mobile broadband coverage but did not use mobile internet, a group the organisation calls the usage gap.

Around 160 million people started using mobile internet in 2025, down from 190 million the previous year. Across surveyed low- and middle-income countries, the GSMA identifies handset affordability as the biggest barrier to adoption, followed by limited digital skills.

By the end of 2025, an entry-level internet-enabled handset cost the poorest 20% of people in low- and middle-income countries the equivalent of 44% of their average monthly income. The GSMA also warns that rising component costs are putting further pressure on inexpensive smartphones.

The wssessment

The 3.1 billion people in the usage gap already live within mobile broadband coverage, so building more network will not solve the main problem for many of them. If someone cannot afford a suitable phone, does not know how to use online services or sees little reason to pay for mobile data, better coverage alone may not bring them online.

That gives operators a different problem to solve. Cheaper devices, instalment plans or refurbished phones may help people get connected, but the real test is whether they keep using the service afterwards. If customers stop buying data once a subsidy or promotion ends, the programme has not created lasting demand.

For BTW readers, operators need to separate places that still need network investment from places where the network is already there but people are not using it. In the second group, continued usage, repeat data purchases and customer retention will say more than the number of phones distributed or new accounts opened.

What to watch

Watch handset-financing, refurbished-device and subsidy programmes for what happens after introductory support ends. Active users, repeat data purchases, churn and customer-acquisition costs will show whether cheaper access to devices creates lasting demand. Coverage investment should be tracked separately where signal or local capacity remains inadequate.