The telecom industry group GSMA has unveiled a global coalition of companies, organisations, and financial institutions dedicated to making smartphones more accessible and affordable for some of the world’s most impoverished populations. The announcement, made on Wednesday, marks a concerted effort to lower the cost of entry into the digital economy for low-income individuals, particularly in regions such as Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
The coalition, as detailed in the GSMA’s statement, will include mobile operators, vendors, and prominent global institutions such as the World Bank Group, the United Nations’ agency ITU, and the WEF Edison Alliance. Their primary objective will be to assess and implement strategies to reduce the barriers to smartphone ownership and internet access.
“Handset affordability is often recognised as the most significant barrier to getting people online,” the GSMA highlighted. For many in low and middle-income countries, mobile phones serve as the sole means of accessing the internet. However, 38% of the global population resides in areas where the cost and other barriers prevent effective mobile internet usage.
The coalition’s efforts will focus on addressing these barriers to close the ‘Usage Gap’, a term used to describe the approximately three billion people worldwide who are unable to fully engage with the global digital economy due to lack of access to affordable internet-enabled devices.
By improving access to these devices, the coalition aims to unlock the potential of millions of individuals, enabling them to participate more fully in the digital world and benefit from the opportunities it presents. The initiative represents a pivotal step towards a more inclusive digital future, where connectivity is not a privilege but a universal right.
