Relative prices of fixed broadband services climbed to 3.5% of gross national income (GNI) per capita globally in 2021, up from 2.9% in 2020. The relative prices of mobile broadband services around the world also edged up to 2% of GNI per capita, from 1.9% a year earlier.
Yet people have sacrificed other goods and services to maintain reliable Internet access during the COVID-19 pandemic. Those who can have largely stayed connected, even at relatively higher prices.
“Broadband services have ceased to be a mere luxury,” said ITU secretary-general Houlin Zhao. “They are a necessity for communication, teleworking, online education, and other essential services. Still, we must urgently address the issue of affordability if we hope to achieve our goal of universal and meaningful connectivity.”
Affordability gaps have persisted or widened over the past year. Fewer economies now meet the affordable cost target of 2% of monthly GNI per capita for entry-level broadband service, as set out by the United Nations Broadband Commission.
Consumers in low- and middle-income economies typically paid five to six times more, relative to their income, to use information and communication technology (ICT) services than consumers in high-income economies did in 2021.
At the regional level, users in Africa paid more than three times the global median price for mobile broadband services, and over five times the global median for fixed broadband.
“The affordability gap for Internet access between those living in low- and middle-income countries and those living in high income countries is inexcusably high,” said Sonia Jorge, executive director of A4AI. “Moreover, people in rural areas, and women everywhere, are disproportionately affected. A continued failure to address this worsens the situation for those who need help the most. The public and private sectors must work together to connect humanity with affordable and meaningful access.”