ITU Report: Achieving Global Internet Connectivity by 2030 Will Require $2.8 Trillion Investment
A new report from the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), the United Nations agency driving global digital development, warns that achieving universal Internet connectivity by 2030 will cost between $2.6 trillion and $2.8 trillion. The “Connecting Humanity Action Blueprint,” released in partnership with Saudi Arabia’s Communications, Space & Technology Commission (CST), sets out the financial and policy roadmap for bringing the estimated one-third of humanity currently offline into the digital world.
According to the report, the largest share of funding, between $1.5 trillion and $1.7 trillion, will go to building critical hard infrastructure such as broadband networks, 4G fixed wireless coverage in rural areas, and satellite connectivity for remote regions. Another $983 billion must be invested to make smartphones and broadband services more affordable, particularly in low-income countries where Internet adoption still lags far behind.
Highlighting the human impact, ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin said digital connectivity creates opportunities for education, jobs, and essential services that can transform lives and communities. CST’s Acting Governor Haytham AlOhali added that the projected funding is nearly five times higher than the ITU’s 2020 estimate, underscoring the urgent need for international cooperation, shared expertise, and collective investment to achieve meaningful connectivity for all.
The report also stresses that infrastructure alone will not close the digital gap. It recommends $152 billion for large-scale digital skills and literacy initiatives to empower individuals to fully participate in online education and digital economies. Meanwhile, policy and regulatory modernization, though requiring just $600 million, is described as a crucial enabler of innovation, efficiency, and investment in the digital sector.
Finally, the ITU calls for public-private partnerships and innovative business models to accelerate progress in underserved regions. The blueprint proposes using schools as Internet gateways, investing in energy infrastructure to support digital inclusion in Africa, and improving local data collection. Without coordinated global action, the ITU warns, the world’s 46 least-developed countries risk falling further behind in the digital age.
source: this day