It’s hard for Aussies and other tech-forward countries to imagine, but much of the world still does not have access to the internet. While in developed countries the internet has become almost as valuable a daily resource as food or air, slightly over half of the world’s population is unconnected. These people do not have access to the economic and educational advantages offered by the World Wide Web.
Despite the disparity between different countries, however, more and more people are gaining access to the internet every day. According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), a record 3.2 billion people now have access to the internet. Cell phone access is much more widespread, with a full 95 percent of the Earth’s population now able to communicate on mobile phones. This is good news, because the rise of cheap smartphones offers a great opportunity for residents of poorer countries to get online. More work needs to be done to bring 3G networks to rural areas, as only 3 out of 10 rural people live in range of 3G signal.
Australia ranked as the 15th-most connected country in the ITU’s report. Can you guess which is number one?
Read the full article here: 3.2 Billion People Now Online Around the World Says ITU
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