Global connectivity slows as enterprise infrastructure gaps widen

New figures from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) suggest the long phase of easy internet expansion is ending. Its Global Connectivity Report 2025, released at the close of the World Telecommunication Development Conference (WTDC-25) in Baku, shows that while 74 percent of the global population is now online, growth is losing steam and getting harder to sustain.

The report points to a growing divide between basic access and the quality of enterprise infrastructure needed for modern digital services. Many businesses, especially in less developed markets, face limited fibre coverage, uneven broadband performance, and patchy mobile networks. The ITU’s findings indicate that closing these infrastructure gaps will require more deliberate policy, targeted investment, and upgrades to existing networks, not just relying on organic demand to push connectivity forward.