Mobile Broadband Penetration Is Quickly on the Rise

According to data published by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), mobile Internet usage is quickly on the rise. The number of mobile broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants worldwide almost quadrupled since 2010, and by the end of this year the mobile broadband penetration rate is expected to reach 47%.

As is the case with fixed broadband subscriptions and Internet access in general, the world is still divided in two when it comes to mobile broadband access. While mobile broadband adoption is almost universal in developed regions (87 subscription per 100 inhabitants), many people in developing regions are having a hard time affording mobile broadband (39 subs per 100 inhabitants). According to the ITU’s calculations, mobile broadband subscriptions are more than twice as expensive in developing regions as they are in countries such as the United States when accounting for purchasing power parity.

Africa in particular is lagging behind in terms of mobile broadband adoption, but given the lack of fixed telephone lines, mobile access is still the best chance of using the Internet for many people across the continent.