Translated with AI
As of November 2025, approximately three-quarters of the world's population will have access to the internet, with young people aged 15 to 24 being the most active user group. This is according to a report by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) published on November 17, according to the UN press service.
According to the document, over 240 million people connected to the global network over the past year, and currently, approximately six billion people worldwide are online. However, approximately 2.2 billion people remain offline, highlighting the need to ensure universal and equitable digital accessibility.
ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin noted that modern life is impossible without digital technologies, meaning everyone should be able to use the internet. Connection quality, including speed, reliability, and availability, as well as digital skills, determine whether people can benefit from digital opportunities.
The report presents data on fifth-generation (5G) networks for the first time. Currently, approximately three billion people use them, accounting for a third of all mobile connections. 5G networks cover 55 percent of the world's population, but access is extremely uneven: in high-income countries, 84 percent of residents have a 5G connection, while in low-income countries, the figure is only four percent. Meanwhile, users in wealthy countries generate almost eight times more mobile traffic than those in poorer regions, demonstrating the connectivity gap.
Internet accessibility remains a pressing issue. Although the average price of mobile internet has fallen, it remains unaffordable for a significant portion of the population in 60 percent of low- and middle-income countries. Most users possess only basic digital skills, while more complex ones—from online security to content creation—are developing slowly.
Cosmas Lakison Zavazava, Director of the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau, stressed that achieving an inclusive and secure digital environment requires targeted investments in infrastructure, training, and data collection systems.
The report also highlights digital divides based on income, gender, and location. In high-income countries, 94 percent of the population uses the internet, compared to only 23 percent in low-income countries. Most people who remain offline live in poor and developing regions. Men are more likely to use the internet than women (77 percent versus 71 percent), and urban residents are more likely to use it than rural residents (85 percent versus 58 percent). Among young people aged 15–24, 82 percent are online, compared to 72 percent of other groups.
The ITU report documents significant progress in global digitalization, but also emphasizes the need to overcome barriers to internet access. Without accessible infrastructure, fair prices, and digital skills development, millions of people risk being left on the fringes of the digital world.
