The number of Internet users, globally, has reached almost five billion, in the last 30 years, but investments are still needed so that a third of the world’s population, which remains offline, becomes connected, reveals the Global Connectivity Report 2022, prepared by the International Telecommunication Union, published on the sidelines of the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference (PP-22), which is taking place in Bucharest, during this period, according to Agerpres.

„In the 30 years since the creation of the ITU Telecommunication Development Sector in 1992, the number of Internet users has grown from a few million to almost five billion. This trend has enabled a digital transformation that was and is, transforming societies and our economies. Yet the Internet’s potential for social and economic good remains largely untapped: one-third of the world’s population (2.9 billion people) remains offline, and many users enjoy only basic connectivity. Universal and meaningful connectivity – defined as enabling a safe, satisfying, enriching, productive and accessible online experience for everyone – has become the new imperative for the 2020-2030 Decade of Action to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” the ITU document states.

The expert report also shows that financing universal broadband access in developing countries over the next decade will cost between $0.62 trillion (using 4G) and $1.1 trillion using 5G Non- Standalone (NSA).

In this sense, the creators of the specialized document mention Giga, a community initiative, developed by the ITU and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), which seeks to connect every school to the Internet.

In the view of experts, universal connectivity offers significant opportunities for development, especially in rural areas and for vulnerable groups, but nevertheless many areas remain unserved or insufficiently served.

Agerpres