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People in remote areas invariably suffer the impacts of these \u2018digital deserts\u2019 more profoundly. \u00a0Globally, rural dwellers are twice as likely to be deprived of internet access than those living in urban environments.[2]<\/a> \u00a0They may well live in the same digital world as we do, but without the necessary \u2018last mile\u2019 infrastructure to bring the internet to homes and offices, they endure a digital darkness.<\/p>\n Lacking connectivity means being deprived not just of internet access, but financial, medical, political and cultural access too \u2013 the very tools with which we build our lives, define our identities and shape the future of our societies. \u00a0Such communities can find themselves locked into long-term poverty spirals.\u00a0 Digitally excluded, they lack the basic means of competing in the modern age and are severely hindered in their efforts to build a brighter future for themselves and their families.<\/p>\n Such practical considerations are central to expanding digital access worldwide and narrowing the dangerous divide that presently exists.<\/p>\n At the macro level, digitizing a national economy is vital for its entry into the global economic system. \u00a0For countries to trade, and for businesses to compete, they must be able to share data and exchange finances in a speedy and reliable manner \u2013 none of which is possible without widespread digital connectivity. \u00a0On a micro scale, digital access helps unlock the kind of individual innovation which, when multiplied across a society, can meaningfully impact GDP and help improve living standards.<\/p>\n How, though, can this be achieved? \u00a0Not without significant expense. \u00a0Laying broadband cables within geographically-remote or economically-challenged communities is costly and time-consuming; so too is establishing the network of data centers required for a thriving digital ecosystem. \u00a0Securing last-mile connectivity is a stubborn challenge which requires bold imagination as well as deep pockets.<\/p>\n One report suggests that digitally connecting the billions of ordinary people currently lacking internet access will cost around US$ 28 billion by 2030.[3]<\/a> \u00a0The issue of \u2018who pays\u2019 is still up for debate. \u00a0However, such a revolution will require more than just money. \u00a0It also demands joined-up strategies to address infrastructure, legislation and, of course, digital literacy.<\/p>\n Digital developments tend to \u2018snowball\u2019, so giving a nascent digital economy a financial kickstart can pay dividends for governments. \u00a0Legislators in developing nations must drastically reduce licensing costs for ICT operators wishing to enter the market. \u00a0Subsidies and tax-breaks can lure investors to a sector with traditionally high upfront costs, all while encouraging a healthy ecosystem of technical innovation. \u00a0Plowing money into research and development, at university or private enterprise level, can upskill an enthusiastic workforce while also accelerating the evolution of necessary technologies. \u00a0An open economy \u2013 one happy to embrace expertise and financial speculation from beyond national borders \u2013 can hasten the journey to a digitally-enabled society. \u00a0Public-private partnerships can help split the risks involved in any state-wide ICT transformation.<\/p>\n Other initiatives require the targeted intervention of multilateral finance institutions.\u00a0 One such organization is the Islamic Development Bank<\/a> (IsDB), which is funding digital development across the Muslim world. \u00a0The IsDB has so far directed around US$ 1 billion of financial support to the ICT sector.[4]<\/a> \u00a0Recent initiatives include installing fiber-optic infrastructure in The Gambia and Sierra Leone, and investing in undersea cabling for Djibouti and Bangladesh to connect with international systems.<\/p>\n Tools like the UNDP Digital Inclusion Navigator<\/a> can help policymakers gauge where shortfalls lie in the digital transition. \u00a0The project marks a collaboration between private sector consultants and two major NGOs, the World Economic Forum<\/a> and the United Nations Development Programme<\/a>. \u00a0It aims to shine a light in the digital darkness by collating the latest data relating to digital inclusion across the world.\u00a0 Coupled with case studies and expert insights, the Digital Inclusion Navigator will help shape budgetary and legislative priorities over the coming years.<\/p>\n The most effective policy strategies are regional in nature. \u00a0The Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development<\/a>, a public-private partnership fostering digital cooperation, is spearheading the Digital Infrastructure Moonshot for Africa project. \u00a0Africa is home to around one-in-five people yet accounts for just 13% of internet users, with these users heavily concentrated in relatively developed countries like South Africa, Egypt, and Morocco.[5]<\/a> \u00a0The Moonshot project aims to bring an additional one billion Africans online by the end of the decade, although it carries a price-tag in the US$ 100 billion range.<\/p>\n A Moonshot working group is in charge of securing funds from public and private purses.\u00a0 Further, it has identified a series of policy strategies which will together help end the digital exclusion experienced by many Africans daily:<\/p>\n Some initiatives are even more geographically specific. \u00a0The World Bank Group, for instance, has approved US$ 92 million financing for its Digital Acceleration for an Inclusive Economy (DARE<\/a>) scheme in Kazakhstan, aiming to bring an additional one million people in rural areas online for the first time. \u00a0Its grant-matching investments will promote the rollout of backhaul networks (which connect local areas to core networks via infrastructure such as transmission towers) and help plug last-mile connectivity gaps.<\/p>\n Knowledge-sharing is vital to gain momentum \u2013 likewise, the promotion of best-practice strategies. \u00a0Cross-border forums such as the Lighthouse Countries Network<\/a> will have a major part to play in the ongoing digital transition. \u00a0This particular network unites legislators from the UAE, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Rwanda, Togo and Honduras to inspire a new wave of public-private collaborations and help each country maximize the economic yield of true digital connectivity.<\/p>\n Turning these intentions into actionable schemes will, naturally, require a helping hand from technology.<\/p>\n Scientists, innovators and investors in next-generation technology may hold the key to solving the world\u2019s last-mile connectivity conundrum.<\/p>\n In a conventional cabled network it is estimated that the final 100 meters of connectivity accounts for 90% of the overall costs.[6]<\/a>\u00a0 To counter this, concepts such as Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) can be installed at relatively low cost and without a high degree of specialist knowledge.\u00a0 These systems transmit high-speed data from masts using radio waves instead of cables, and promise to connect communities where challenging terrain or financial hardship prevent the deployment of physical infrastructure.<\/p>\n More than a hundred operators globally are providing FWA technology to millions of customers across emerging markets. \u00a0India is expected to become the largest customer, with between 45 million and 50 million individual connections by the end of the decade.[7]<\/a><\/p>\n Satellite technology can also help bridge the digital divide threatening to embed inequalities in our global system. \u00a0Satellites, from their lofty orbits, theoretically bring the possibility of digital connectivity to an estimated 95% of people worldwide.<\/p>\n Ambitions, fittingly, are sky high. \u00a0In 2023 the GSMA<\/a>, a non-profit trade association for mobile network operators, joined with the European Space Agency on an initiative to ensure the compatibility of new satellite and terrestrial network technologies[8]<\/a>. \u00a0The scheme\u2019s Foundry Innovation Accelerator will steer promising ideas from early commercial trials to scalable regional and global solutions \u2013 all primed for assimilation within 5G and future 6G networks.<\/p>\n Artificial intelligence (AI<\/a>) will also come to play a prominent role in bridging the digital divide. \u00a0With a new generation of algorithmic instruments AI can help quantify the many variables pivotal for expanding digital coverage. \u00a0Which communities are currently deprived of high-speed internet connectivity? \u00a0Which solution from a suite of candidate technologies will allow the largest number of people within a given area to join the global digital family? \u00a0AI-driven scanning tools will soon be able to deliver definitive answers to those vital questions.<\/p>\n Sometimes achieving last-mile connectivity is simply an issue of ensuring a reliable supply of electricity. \u00a0Accordingly, innovations in the field of wireless power transfer (WPT) could help turn the tables. \u00a0WPT transmits electrical energy from power source to device using electromagnetic fields.\u00a0 This means no traditional power infrastructure or cabling, effectively bringing digital connectivity within reach of almost everyone.<\/p>\n Even if it is not the primary means of community connection, wireless technology can serve as a dependable back-up for physical equipment in the event of service interruption. \u00a0Wireless alternatives will prove priceless in case of power outages, mechanical breakdowns or loss of infrastructure due to the kind of climate-related disasters which are more likely to occur in a rapidly warming world.[9]<\/a><\/p>\n WPT remains limited to charging small devices rather than powering entire communities at present due to the high proportion of energy sacrificed during long-distance transfers, but\u00a0research is ongoing to improve efficiency.<\/p>\n As we have seen, wireless and space-based technologies are useful tools in connecting remote areas and bridging the digital divide. \u00a0These assets can be supplemented, where necessary, by last-mile boosters such as fiber-optic cabling for low latency and a more sophisticated grid of transmission towers. \u00a0Altogether, this translates into high-speed internet access for underserved regions and more life opportunities for those living under its umbrella.<\/p>\n Investors should not need much convincing about the long-term benefits of highly-evolved digital communication technologies. \u00a0Advanced last-mile solutions will reap even greater economic rewards as \u2018cities of the future\u2019 adopt smart principles.<\/p>\n Tomorrow\u2019s smart cities (such as Saudi Arabia\u2019s in-development Neom<\/a>) will boast a fusion of state-of-the-art technologies.\u00a0 However, these will only be able to interoperate if they can exchange data rapidly and reliably: Vehicle movements will need coordinating to aid traffic flow; power grids will need balancing from a plethora of renewable sources; water usage and waste management will be governed by a network of smart meters. \u00a0All these concepts can only become reality within a digital domain.<\/p>\n Only a digitally-enabled society can exploit the transformational benefits of new technology. \u00a0Digital communication, for example, is the lifeblood of the partnership between Spanish technology firm Datakorum<\/a> and Almar Water Solutions<\/a>, part of Abdul Latif Jameel Environmental Services. \u00a0Datakorum technology translates water levels into smart data, increasing efficiency and preventing undue wastage of this vital natural resource. \u00a0Real-world implications are already evident.\u00a0 In Abu Dhabi, Datakorum is providing 5G gateways<\/a> to connect end-users with distribution channels, steering the digital transformation of the emirates\u2019 water structure under a five-year contract.<\/p>\n In the Middle East, Africa and beyond, ending digital exclusion will enhance life opportunities among the world\u2019s most vulnerable communities and allow greater alignment on existential threats such as climate change.<\/p>\n Maybe digital access used to be regarded as a privilege \u2013 a convenient addition to everyday life which, while not instrumental to survival, saved us time and helped streamline our chores.\u00a0 That is no longer the case. \u00a0Since its emergence, digital access has evolved from luxury to mandatory.\u00a0 Nowadays, it is the engine which drives many of our lives.<\/p>\n Still not convinced? \u00a0Try powering down your cellphone in a 24-hour experiment. \u00a0Of course, you won\u2019t be able to access live maps to navigate your way to that meeting.\u00a0 Or make that urgent payment to a supplier.\u00a0 Or book that hospital appointment, shift those shares from one company to another, or use online resources to help your children with their homework.\u00a0 Hardly a formula for digging oneself out of the poverty trap, or building a better future for one\u2019s dependents.<\/p>\n The digital divide threatens to exacerbate the widening gulf between the world\u2019s haves and have-nots.\u00a0 Digital inclusion, on the contrary, could help liberate billions.<\/p>\n Q: How many people worldwide still lack basic internet access? <\/strong><\/p>\n A: As of 2024, an estimated 2.7 billion people \u2013 around one third of the global population \u2013 lack basic internet access, with fewer than half of those connected having access to high-speed broadband.<\/p>\n Q: Which regions have the lowest internet penetration rates? <\/strong><\/p>\n A: Africa has the lowest internet penetration at around 40%, followed by Asia at 60%. In contrast, Europe achieves around 90% and the Americas around 80%. India, despite being the world’s most populous country, has just 48.7% internet adoption.<\/p>\n Q: How much will it cost to connect the billions currently without internet access? <\/strong><\/p>\n A: One report estimates that digitally connecting the billions of people currently lacking internet access will cost around US$28 billion by 2030.<\/p>\n Q: Why is Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) considered a game-changer for connectivity? <\/strong><\/p>\n A: In conventional cabled networks, the final 100 meters of connectivity accounts for 90% of overall costs. FWA can be installed at relatively low cost without specialist knowledge, transmitting high-speed data from masts using radio waves instead of cables.<\/p>\n Q: How many people could satellite technology potentially connect? <\/strong><\/p>\n A: Satellites theoretically bring the possibility of digital connectivity to an estimated 95% of people worldwide, making them crucial for reaching remote areas where traditional infrastructure is impractical.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n [1]<\/a> https:\/\/datareportal.com\/reports\/digital-2023-global-overview-report<\/a><\/p>\n [2]<\/a> https:\/\/www.weforum.org\/stories\/2022\/05\/how-to-counter-the-global-digital-divide<\/a><\/p>\n [3]<\/a> https:\/\/www.weforum.org\/stories\/2022\/11\/bridging-the-digital-divide-to-accelerate-development\/<\/a><\/p>\n [4]<\/a> https:\/\/www.weforum.org\/stories\/2022\/11\/bridging-the-digital-divide-to-accelerate-development\/<\/a><\/p>\n [5]<\/a> https:\/\/www.broadbandcommission.org\/insight\/broadband-for-all-a-digital-infrastructure-moonshot-for-africa\/#<\/a><\/p>\n [6]<\/a> https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/solutions-and-impact\/technologies\/networks\/5g\/fixed-wireless-access-economic-potential-and-best-practices\/<\/a><\/p>\n [7]<\/a> https:\/\/www.gsmaintelligence.com\/research\/5g-fwa-on-the-rise-state-of-the-market-new-developments-and-outlook-through-to-2030<\/a><\/p>\n [8]<\/a> https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/newsroom\/press-release\/gsma-and-european-space-agency-launch-new-communications-innovation-partnership\/<\/a><\/p>\n [9]<\/a> https:\/\/www.worldwildlife.org\/stories\/is-climate-change-increasing-the-risk-of-disasters<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":125446,"template":"","tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nHow can finance help to democratize digital access?<\/h2>\n
What\u2019s the best strategy for improving digital connectivity?<\/h2>\n
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Why could wireless connectivity be the answer?<\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\nState-of-the-art solutions for a fairer future<\/h2>\n
Fast facts about bridging the digital divide<\/h2>\n