The International Telecommunication Union said on the 3rd that in 2026, there will be about 6.3 billion Internet users, accounting for 76% of the world's population. 2 billion people are still “offline”, and there is still an imbalance between countries and people connecting to the Internet. The Internet usage rate is 93% in high-income countries, and only 32% in low-income countries; 86% of people aged 15 to 24, and 74% in other age groups; 82% of urban residents have access to the Internet, compared to 63% in rural areas. The mobile phone ownership rate in high-income countries is over 95%, and the low-income countries are 57%; 5G networks have covered 59% of the global population, 86% in high-income countries, and only 4% in low-income countries. Bridging the global digital divide is critical, the report said.

The International Telecommunication Union said on the 3rd that in 2026, there will be about 6.3 billion Internet users, accounting for 76% of the world's population. 2 billion people are still “offline”, and there is still an imbalance between countries and people connecting to the Internet. The Internet usage rate is 93% in high-income countries, and only 32% in low-income countries; 86% of people aged 15 to 24, and 74% in other age groups; 82% of urban residents have access to the Internet, compared to 63% in rural areas. The mobile phone ownership rate in high-income countries is over 95%, and the low-income countries are 57%; 5G networks have covered 59% of the global population, 86% in high-income countries, and only 4% in low-income countries. Bridging the global digital divide is critical, the report said.