Full Connectivity
About a third of the global population still does not use the internet, with surveys suggesting that even awareness of the internet is not universal. Yet, the internet now gives access to vital services around the world, including healthcare and education, from which a substantial portion of the world is excluded.
Bringing the last third of the population online is therefore a major opportunity to catalyze global development, unlocking opportunities for the most underserved to access basic services. In this Citi GPS report, we highlight Oxford Martin School research, funded by Citi, which shows that when telecoms infrastructure is shared between mobile network operators rather than operated by individual telecommunication companies, network quality improves and costs for consumers fall. At the same time, costs for operators fall and return on investment tends to increase.
Key Takeaways
1. Significant Progress, Remaining Gaps: The percentage of people living in areas not connected has dropped significantly, yet a major “usage gap” persists where people have coverage but do not use the internet.
2. Affordability as a Primary Barrier: Affordability is the main obstacle to universal internet access in low- and middle[1]income countries. Handset costs can be as high as 16% of monthly income, and data prices vary widely, making internet use inaccessible for many.1
3. Infrastructure Sharing as a Solution: Sharing telecommunications infrastructure, especially through models like TowerCos, can significantly reduce costs for operators, improve network quality and lower prices for consumers.
1 GSMA, 2025. The State of Mobile Internet Connectivity Report 2024. p. 29