As contained in the “Measuring Digital Development: ICT Price Trends 2019” report of the International Telecommunications Union , the global analysis of prices for mobile-voice, mobile-data and fixed-broadband services suggests that affordability is not the only barrier to Internet uptake.
It, however, noted that both trends do not translate into rapidly increasing Internet penetration rates which suggests that there are other barriers to Internet use. The latest statistics from ITU confirm that affordability may not be the only barrier to Internet uptake and that other factors such as low level of education, lack of relevant content, lack of content in local languages, lack of digital skills, and a low-quality Internet connection may also prevent effective use.
Some of the key findings include that an entry-level mobile-voice basket remains broadly affordable in most countries. For instance, in 70 countries, a low-usage mobile-voice plan was available for less than one per cent of gross national income per capita, and in a further 37 countries it stood below 2 per cent.