Five billion people, or almost everyone in the world, now own a cell phone, the Christian Science Monitor reported. But the predominance of mobile broadband internet is actually growing much faster. A UN report recently found that mobile internet subscription surged to 872 million last year, an increase from 2009 of more than 300 million people.
In wealthier countries, almost half of all people sport phones with access to the internet, while in poor countries it is more like 1 in 20 people. Poor countries display the sharpest rise in mobile phone subscriptions. The UN report found that subscription to cell phone plans that allow web-surfing, email-checking, and other online services have risen at the rate of 160% over the last year.
The survey also found gaps in broadband capacity between nations renowned for their telecommunications capabilities – countries like South Korea, Sweden, and Iceland – and countries that lag in terms of speed, like African nations and the Arab world. The US ranked 17th overall and 20 in terms of access.
This is mainly due to penetration rates for mobile cellular subscriptions and households with computer and Internet, where the U.S. has lower figures compared to the countries ranked above the U.S.,” the Geneva-based ITU said.
It is astounding to imagine that virtually everyone on Earth owns a cell phone, especially as so much of the world still lives in abject poverty and lacks basic necessities like food and water. A 201UN report stated that India actually boasts more cell phones than it does toilets.
That’s progress for you.
