![[eMarketer] Lack of affordable devices keeps 3.4 billion people from connecting to nearby mobile networks](Article Images/Key Industy Images/smartphone user.jpg)
[eMarketer] Lack of affordable devices keeps 3.4 billion people from connecting to nearby mobile networks
The Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development’s 2021 State of Broadband report found that 3.7 billion people are not connected to the net—even though 85% of them live within range of a mobile network.
According to eMarketer, this finding underscores the need for public policy to shift from focusing on connectivity to ensuring access to affordable devices and services, per The Register.
The State of Broadband Report reveals that while global internet access and adoption has made progress, greater efforts are needed to provide last-mile access, especially in developing countries during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Previously, the lack of broadband and wireless infrastructure was believed to be the key obstacle to greater adoption. But the high cost of smartphones and corresponding services is the real sticking point.
The average selling price of new smartphones from 2016 to 2021 was $317, per Statista. Even used 4G-LTE-capable handsets are priced well beyond the budget of lower-income households—not to mention costly mobile voice and data plans.
Read the full eMarketer article here
