The report ‘The Urban Unconnected’ sheds light on the digital divide in eight countries

The challenges to connecting the urban population have been made clearer with the publication of the study ‘The Urban Unconnected’ by IHS Markit and Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA). The white paper is the result of a research conducted on the topic of the digital divide and urban unconnected across eight leading countries (Brazil, China, Germany, India, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America). The study concluded that: the digital divide is still a global and local challenge, present in the North and the South of the globe; 23.76% and 44.17%: are the average percentages of urban and rural unconnected population respectively found among the eight researched countries; London is leading the way to a connected society, while Delhi and Sao Paulo are lagging behind; there are multiple barriers to digital inclusion, from financial constraints to the availability of adequate technology and lack of awareness to internet generated benefits.