The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) said it has secured commitments totaling $9 billion from mobile operators to expand global connectivity.
ITU Secretary-General, Doreen Bogdan-Martin, announced this on the sidelines of the Mobile World Congress (MWC) on Monday. According to a statement from the union, these commitments build on the mobile industry’s strong support for ITU’s efforts to connect the world.
Alongside the new commitments, the UN Digital Agency also announced that it now has over 1,000 industry, academia, and organizational members in addition to its 193 Member States. This milestone marks the largest, most diverse membership in the agency’s history.
The new industry commitments brought the total current value of planned investment in infrastructure, services, and support to ITU’s Partner2Connect Digital Coalition since the platform opened in March 2022 to over USD 46 billion.
Recommended reading: ITU appoints Bosun Tijani as member of Digital Innovation Board
Driving meaningful connectivity
While noting that the funding commitments would make meaningful connectivity possible across the globe, the ITU Secretary-General said:
- “Universal meaningful connectivity is within our grasp. Thanks to these new commitments, millions of people will benefit from accessible and affordable connectivity across the world.”
Also commenting on the development, the Chief Regulatory Officer, GSMA, John Giusti, said:
- “I applaud the ITU Secretary-General’s focus on the importance of infrastructure investment to enable the digital economy. Mobile operators continuously invest in deploying and upgrading their networks, delivering benefits to citizens in all corners of the globe.
- “I congratulate e&, China Telecom, Ooredoo, and VEON on their investment pledges. I am encouraged that MWC is the event of choice for such commitments and collaboration between the public and private sectors.”
The commitments announced at Mobile World Congress include:
- e&: USD 6 billion between 2024 and 2026 for accessible and affordable network connectivity and digital services across countries in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia
- China Telecom: Over USD 1.4 billion to roll out fiber-to-the-home (FTTH), providing high-quality information and communication services to over 80 million people in remote administrative villages across China.
- Ooredoo: USD 1.1 billion for connectivity in the developing markets ranging from North Africa to the Indian Ocean.
- VEON: USD 600 million in building the infrastructure of Ukraine, providing connectivity and digital services essential to the reconstruction of the country.
What you should know
According to data from ITU, 2.6 billion people remain offline worldwide. As telecommunications infrastructure forms the backbone of connectivity and digital transformation, it is vital for closing that global digital divide and overcoming development impediments in areas from education and health to government services and trade.
ITU has called for USD 100 billion in overall investments by 2026 to provide the expertise and resources required to extend universal, meaningful connectivity and sustainable digital transformation to every corner of the globe.
In addition to infrastructure, Partner2Connect commitments can support other critical needs including building digital skills and increasing digital inclusion. The new commitments from e&, China Telecom, Ooredoo and VEON are expected to be implemented over the next 2-5 years.
Recommended reading: ITU-WRC23: Nigeria, others secure additional frequency for broadcast, telecom
