A couple pass by a big advertisement promoting free Wi-Fi service at a mall in Zhengzhou, Henan province. (Photo/China Daily)
A world where every citizen is connected to the internet needs to happen. In today's digital economy, connectivity is crucial for equality and sustainable development. The positive news is the world is off to a good start in its commitment to broadband. Mobile broadband is now the fastest-growing technology in human history and recognized as a key driver of growth and an important catalyst. The total number of mobile-broadband subscriptions will reach 3.6 billion worldwide by the end of 2016, almost half of which are broadband-enabled.[Special coverage]
The not-so-positive news is we're falling short in our infrastructural investments. In 2016, International Telecommunication Union data revealed that the digital divide is widening between the industrialized and least developed economies. Incredibly, some 3.9 billion people do not have the means to access the internet.
In a world where many take for granted faster and faster online connections, cloud-based platforms or mobile-based business models, it's easy to forget that these experiences, opportunities and benefits are unreachable for half the citizens of the world.
This connectivity chasm needs to be eliminated and put forward as an international policy priority, or we risk exacerbating global inequality. Delivering affordable access to broadband networks can scale up education, health, agriculture and financial services -- just some of the important sectors that can benefit from enhanced connectivity.
