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.
More from Connectivity
A new global survey of 600 industrial IoT decision-makers suggests that direct-to-device satellite connectivity is shifting from an early concept to s
Satellite operator Eutelsat is teaming up with global non-profit unconnected.org to roll out satellite-powered community Wi-Fi in underserved parts of
Telecom Fiji will roll out Starlink-powered managed Wi-Fi in the rural provinces of Namosi and Lomaiviti under a new universal service obligation (USO
BT will supply 23,000 mobile connections over its EE network to support easyJet staff and operations in 35 countries and more than 150 airports. The d
Boingo Wireless will design, build and operate the cellular and Wi‑Fi infrastructure for the New York Mets and Citi Field. The company is deploying a
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport has picked infrastructure provider Boldyn Networks to design, build and run a new 5G distributed antenna system a