"⅔ of the population now has 5G coverage in their area
21% of UK adults only access the internet using a smartphone"
Digital Inclusion > Summary
How mobile connectivity can further narrow the digital divide
There is a divide between the digital haves (the digitally included) and the digital have nots (the digitally excluded). There are numerous and complex factors driving this divide. They include inability to access the internet, a lack of motivation, and low skills and confidence. Taken together, this creates poorer outcomes for individuals, the economy and society.
This report looks into the growing role of mobile connectivity in the digital inclusion debate, and the need for public policy to better consider its impact. Significantly, more and more people are using mobile connectivity to access the Internet, and as this report will highlight for many it is also their only way of access. It can also often be a more affordable, although other forms of connectivity may be more suited to individual circumstances. Further to this, Internet of Things technology is only likely to increase the demand for, and reliance on, mobile connectivity in the future.
