Global Connectivity by 2030 Requires Trillions, New Report Reveals

Global Connectivity by 2030 Requires Trillions, New Report Reveals

The “Connecting Humanity Action Blueprint” concludes with recommendations to accelerate digital inclusion globally, including leveraging schools as gateways to Internet access, investing in energy infrastructure in Africa, and enhancing data collection at the sub-national level.

RMN News Technology Desk
September 2, 2025

Geneva, 01 September 2025 – Achieving universal, meaningful Internet connectivity by 2030 could demand an investment of USD 2.6 trillion to USD 2.8 trillion at current prices, according to the “Connecting Humanity Action Blueprint” released today. This comprehensive report, a joint effort by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) – the UN agency for digital technologies – and the Communications, Space and Technology Commission (CST) of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, details the significant resources required to bridge the world’s digital divide.

The report outlines challenges, projected costs, and collaborative strategies essential to ensure Internet access for everyone, everywhere, including the estimated one-third of humanity currently offline. Approximately 2.6 billion people are still excluded from the digital world. ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin emphasized that “Digital connectivity means creating opportunities for education, jobs, and access to essential services that can transform lives and communities,” highlighting that these are investments contributing to a prosperous digital future for all.

The largest portion of the required funding, between USD 1.5 trillion and USD 1.7 trillion, is designated for hard infrastructure. This involves expanding broadband networks, specifically deploying fibre in and around urban areas, 4G fixed wireless in rural regions, and satellites in the most remote locations. Beyond infrastructure, the report highlights three other critical investment areas:

• Affordability: An estimated USD 983 billion is needed to reduce the cost of smartphones and broadband services, both fixed and mobile, making connection accessible to individuals and households worldwide, particularly in lower-income regions.
• Digital skills: USD 152 billion is required to fund large-scale digital literacy initiatives, empowering individuals to use the Internet effectively for online education, secure better jobs, and actively participate in a digitally-driven society.
• Policy and regulation: While representing the smallest cost component at USD 600 million, modernizing regulations and establishing predictable policy environments worldwide are deemed essential to unlock efficiencies and promote innovation. The report notes that closing this gap, despite its relatively small cost, would have a massive impact on digital transformation.

H.E. Eng. Haytham AlOhali, Acting Governor of CST, noted that the current estimate of USD 2.6 trillion to USD 2.8 trillion is nearly five times higher than the last assessment conducted in 2020 in partnership with ITU during the Saudi chairmanship of the G20.

He stated, “Such a dramatic increase underscores the urgency for international cooperation, collective investment, and the sharing of expertise if we are to achieve the vision of universal, meaningful connectivity for all”.

In 2024, Internet usage stood at an estimated 93 percent of the population in high-income countries, compared to just 27 percent in low-income countries, illustrating the deep connectivity disparity closely linked to socio-economic development.

To address challenges like financing barriers, limited technical expertise, and unreliable infrastructure, particularly evident in the world’s 46 least-developed countries, the ITU calls for innovative business approaches and renewed collaboration between governments, the tech industry, development finance institutions, and civil society.

This collaboration aims to close current divides and prevent future ones, including in emerging fields like artificial intelligence (AI). The “Connecting Humanity Action Blueprint” concludes with recommendations to accelerate digital inclusion globally, including leveraging schools as gateways to Internet access, investing in energy infrastructure in Africa, and enhancing data collection at the sub-national level.

The ITU, established in 1865, continues to drive innovation for people and the planet, coordinating global use of the radio spectrum and satellite orbits, establishing international technology standards, and promoting universal connectivity.