Universal internet by 2030 to cost up to $2.8T, says ITU
Expanding global internet access to reach all users by 2030 will demand investments between $2.6 trillion and $2.8 trillion, according to projections released by the International Telecommunication Union and Saudi Arabia’s Communications, Space & Technology Commission, outlining expenditures needed to connect approximately 2.6 billion people currently offline. The assessment identifies $1.5 trillion to $1.7 trillion required for physical network infrastructure, including fiber systems in urban zones, fourth-generation wireless coverage in rural territories and satellite connectivity for isolated regions, with an additional $983 billion allocated toward reducing smartphone and broadband service costs for lower-income populations.
ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin emphasized that investments will generate educational and employment opportunities, while 93 percent of residents in wealthy nations accessed the internet during 2024, compared to 27 percent in impoverished countries. Acting CST Governor Haytham AlOhali noted the figure represents nearly five times the 2020 estimate, with the blueprint recommending coordinated efforts among governments, technology firms and development institutions to address financing obstacles and infrastructure deficiencies concentrated in 46 least-developed states.
