Internet Use Reaches 6.3 Billion Globally
A new International Telecommunication Union report estimates 76 per cent of the world's population now uses the Internet, though two billion people remain offline.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Internet
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The International Telecommunication Union's Facts and Figures 2026 report estimates 6.3 billion people, or 76 per cent of the world's population, use the Internet, up from a revised 6.1 billion, or 74 per cent, in 2025. Two billion people remain offline.
Why it matters
The gap between connected and unconnected populations tracks closely with income, geography, gender, and age, shaping access to education, work, and public services. The report's data helps governments and developers identify where connectivity investment is most needed.
The players
International Telecommunication Union
The United Nations agency for information and communication technologies, which publishes global connectivity statistics and sets international standards for telecommunications.
The details
The estimates appear in the ITU's annual connectivity assessment, which covers Internet use, subscriptions, traffic, affordability, digital skills, mobile coverage, and phone ownership. The global median price of a data-only mobile broadband basket fell to 1.2 per cent of gross national income per capita, and 84 per cent of people aged 10 and over own a mobile phone.
Timeline
2025: Prior revised estimate of 6.1 billion Internet users.
2026: Facts and Figures 2026 estimates 6.3 billion Internet users.
2026: Landlocked developing countries and small island developing states first meet the mobile broadband affordability target.
Affordability is the main practical barrier, with mobile broadband in least developed countries costing about 6.1 per cent of gross national income per capita. Readers in lower-income markets should compare data-only plans against their local income levels before committing to a subscription.
The takeaway
Connectivity gaps are as much about price, skills, and location as about infrastructure, so progress depends on addressing all of them together. Tracking the ITU's annual figures is a practical way to measure whether that progress is happening.
Further reading
Explore more coverage in our Internet section for context on connectivity and the digital divide.
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