Internet growth trends: Connecting an unconnected world

• Author:
• Author name

  Quantumrun Foresight
• February 20, 2022

Insight summary

The Internet remains inaccessible to a significant portion of the global population due to infrastructural limitations and socio-economic inequalities. Efforts by governments, businesses, and international organizations to bridge this "digital divide" have made substantial progress, with initiatives ranging from the development of low-cost smartphones to major digital infrastructure projects. This increased connectivity has far-reaching implications, from transforming labor markets and education systems to challenging traditional financial systems, all while raising important questions about data privacy and societal equity.

Internet growth trends context

While the Internet has become a necessary part of daily life, 2.85 billion still don't have access to it (as of 2023), with most of them located in Southeast Asia and Africa. Many people are not connected because they lack access to digital or other critical infrastructure, while others may not recognize the advantages of being connected. Inequality, whether based on income, gender, or other factors, exacerbates the problem. 

Governments, businesses, local and international organizations, and members of civil society are all working to expand internet access and usage. Since the “digital divide” initially became apparent, significant progress has been achieved, and it is anticipated that the population of internet users will double by 2024. Humanity may be on the brink of connecting every person on the globe to gigabit connection speeds at a reasonable cost, thanks to 5G on the ground, balloons and drones in the air, and private satellites covering the Earth from space.

With the global growth and commoditization of low-cost cellphones, getting everyone on the planet online no longer seems a distant reality. Thanks to the smartphone boom, the disconnected are getting their hands on their first computing device. Unsurprisingly, some of the world's most innovative thinkers have begun to consider alternative solutions for connecting the 4.3 billion unconnected. Digital giants like Google, Facebook, and Huawei are actively investing in several major digital infrastructure initiatives in Africa and Asia to grow internet usage. Similarly, Internet.org, a worldwide project backed by Samsung, Facebook, Ericsson, MediaTek, Nokia, Opera Software, and Qualcomm, has worked to make the internet more inexpensive for those who are not connected.

Disruptive impact 

Communication is essential for the coordination of services and cannot be achieved across long distances without effective connectivity which, in the modern world, involves internet access. This access may allow for the development of technology-enabled platforms that disrupt established industry structures. These technological platforms, rendered easy to use by the smartphone, convene assets, people, and data, resulting in entirely new ways of consuming products and services.

Other significant shifts enabled by greater connectivity include greater transparency, customer involvement, and new patterns of consumer behavior. These changes together may compel firms to adjust the way they design, promote, and deliver services and products to previously underserved markets.

Moreover, people who are unable to use the internet are often denied access to a wide range of useful activities and services, including health care services, education, banking, entertainment, jobs, markets, and government services, as well as the benefits of staying in touch with distant relatives and friends. Obtaining these services through other means is typically more complicated and time-consuming.

Exclusion from such services can impair an individual's capacity to make a living, grow their income, or enhance their quality of life. Although the nature and impact of exclusion vary between developed and developing countries, the outcomes can be similar. Further, widespread internet access can support the empowerment of women in many societies by allowing them to participate more actively in the economy.

Implications of Internet growth trends

Wider implications of Internet growth trends may include:

• A surge in remote work opportunities, enabling a more flexible labor market and potentially reducing commuting-related environmental impacts.


• The rise of digital currencies, challenging traditional financial systems and prompting governments to rethink monetary policies.


• Amplified digital divide widening socio-economic disparities between those with and without access.


• The rise of e-commerce, fueled by Internet growth, leading to shifts in employment sectors and changes in urban landscapes.


• An increase in data generation, prompting the need for more energy-efficient data centers to mitigate environmental impacts.


• The rise of online education, democratizing access to knowledge but also challenging traditional educational institutions and methods.


• New forms of cybercrime, requiring stronger cybersecurity measures and legal frameworks for protection.


• The rise of smart cities, improving urban living conditions but also raising concerns about surveillance and individual privacy.

Questions to consider

• What are some examples of how internet users from the developing world may use the internet in ways not seen in the West?


• How will new internet users interpret or engage with Western online norms, such as social sharing, online privacy, freedom of speech, etc.?