The world’s online population surpassed six billion in 2025, an increase of more than 240 million users over the previous year, according to the latest Facts and Figures 2025 report by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
The report indicates that roughly three-quarters of the global population are now online, up from 5.8 billion in 2024. Despite this growth, about 2.2 billion people remain offline, highlighting persistent digital divides across regions and demographics.
ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin emphasized the importance of equitable access, noting that “today’s digital divides are increasingly defined by speed, reliability, affordability, and skills.”
For the first time, the report provides global estimates on 5G adoption. Around one-third of mobile broadband subscriptions—approximately three billion users—now use 5G. While 5G coverage reaches 55 percent of the global population, access is highly uneven: 84 percent in high-income countries versus just four percent in low-income nations.
The report also highlights major disparities in data consumption, with users in high-income countries consuming nearly eight times more mobile data than those in low-income countries, reflecting gaps in infrastructure and affordability.
Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava, Director of the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau, stressed that achieving universal and meaningful connectivity will require sustained investment in infrastructure, affordable services, digital skills, and reliable data systems.
Other findings show that offline populations are disproportionately made up of rural residents, women, low-income communities, and people in low-income countries, pointing to enduring challenges in bridging global digital gaps.
The report underscores that while internet adoption continues to grow, policymakers and stakeholders must address inequality in access, usage, and digital literacy to ensure that technological progress benefits all regions equitably.
