The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) has given a verdict that half of the world’s population will be online by the end of 2018, disclosing that this would be the first time more than half of the world’s population will be using the Internet.
“At the end of 2018, 51.2 per cent of the global population, or 3.9 billion people, will be using the Internet,” says the United Nations specialized agency for information and communication technologies (ICTs) in its 2018 global and regional ICT estimates.
These estimates, which shows it will will surpass the 50/50 milestone for Internet use are a pointer to the great strides the world is making towards building a more inclusive global information society, according to ITU.
Commenting on the estimates, Houlin Zhao, ITU Secretary General noted that TU will not stop at promoting the growth of the internet across the world, as far too many people around the world are still waiting to reap the benefits of the digital economy. “We must encourage more investment from the public and private sectors and create a good environment to attract investments, and support technology and business innovation so that the digital revolution leaves no one offline,” he assured
The new 2018 estimates reveal that there continues to be a general upward trend in the access to and use of information and communication technologies. Access to telecommunication networks continues to increase, in particular in mobile connections. However, affordability remains an issue as the world struggle to see digital economy become a reality for all.
