Pakistan faces massive mobile internet usage gap

A new report from GSMA reveals a significant mobile internet usage gap in Pakistan, where approximately 140 million people live within mobile broadband coverage areas but do not use mobile internet. This places Pakistan among the nations with the largest absolute usage gaps globally, alongside Nigeria.

The challenges in Pakistan have shifted from expanding network coverage to addressing affordability, digital literacy, and the relevance of services. Key barriers include the high cost of internet-enabled handsets, lack of digital skills, and safety concerns. The GSMA suggests that reducing entry-level smartphone prices to between $20 and $30 could significantly increase global accessibility.

On a global scale, research conducted by GSMA in collaboration with Huawei indicates that 3.1 billion people face a digital divide. While mobile broadband reaches 96% of the world, 38% of people remain offline due to gaps in digital and AI literacy. Closing this capability gap could potentially add $3.5 trillion to the global GDP by 2030, with the majority of those gains benefiting low- and middle-income countries.