Mobile industry closing ‘digital divide’ across all 17 sustainable development goals, says GSMA

For the fifth year in a row the mobile industry has increased its impact across all 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) enabling essential services for people and businesses.

The year 2019 was the industry’s most impactful year as it increased its SDG impact score by 4.7% points. With over half of the world’s population in lockdown this year, the world’s dependence on digital technology to access essential communications has become acutely evident.

The rapid expansion of mobile coverage in recent years resulted in 5.1 billion individuals using a mobile phone and 3.8 billion using mobile internet. Compared to 2015 levels, this represents an increase of 600 million and 1.1 billion people respectively. We are making headway in closing the digital divide through robust investment made by the mobile industry.

More to do, says UN

Despite these efforts, there is more to do. The UN is calling the next 10 years, the Decade of Action. Mobile technology is fast becoming a fundamental part of our lives, yet 600 million people are still without mobile coverage. The usage gap is larger and prevents people from benefitting from the vital services offered by mobile technology.

Addressing both is critical as the report highlights that increased adoption and usage of mobile services drives a better and more sustainable future for all. A failure to close the digital divide will not only accentuate the challenges of global inequality but will also likely result in an uneven recovery from the effects of COVID-19.

Mats Granryd

“Mobile technology remains a critical force in addressing the world’s most pressing challenges. We are seeing many examples of this as we work through unprecedented times,” says Mats Granryd, director general of the GSMA. “As an industry, we are uniquely positioned to drive significant economic, social, and environmental gains. We will continue to build a more inclusive world during this Decade of Action by collaborating across the ecosystem to accelerate impact.”

The report emphasises that operators have an opportunity to build on their existing efforts and work with governments and other partners to drive positive, global impact. It also outlines some of the specific calls to action for each SDG, ranging from enhancing digital literacy skills for women and girls to reduce gender inequality to licensing sufficient and affordable spectrum to spur the building of resilient infrastructure.

The mobile industry has been contributing to economic and social development for more than two decades by bringing connectivity to people and enabling essential services like Mobile Money, Digital Identity, Education mHealth and Internet of Things. As we begin the Decade of Action, there has never been a more critical moment to accelerate digitisation.

The GSMA’s ‘2020 Mobile Industry Impact Report: Sustainable Development Goals” report is available here.

Comment on this article below or via Twitter: @VanillaPlus OR @jcvplus

RECENT ARTICLES

Connectbase expands baltic connectivity with Bitė partnership

Posted on: March 28, 2024

Connectbase has announced the addition of Bitė to its ecosystem. This partnership marks a step forward in enhancing connectivity options within the Baltic region, providing a link between local and

Read more

IOT Solutions World Congress 2024 connects semiconductor chips to industry

Posted on: March 27, 2024

Essential to manufacture computers, smartphones, cars, refrigerators or any electronic device, semiconductors are critical elements in the implementation of the Internet of Things. For this reason, IOT Solutions World Congress

Read more