The world’s online population grew by more than 240 million people in 2025, bringing the total number of internet users to six billion, according to a new report by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
The Facts and Figures 2025 report shows that nearly three-quarters of the global population is now online, up from 5.8 billion in 2024. However, about 2.2 billion people remain offline, highlighting persistent digital inequality despite steady progress.
ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin said access to digital technology remains uneven across the world.
“In a world where digital technologies are essential to daily life, everyone should have the opportunity to benefit from being online. Today’s digital divides are increasingly defined by speed, reliability, affordability, and skills,” she said.
For the first time, the report estimates that 5G subscriptions now account for about one-third of global mobile broadband, reaching roughly three billion users. While 5G covers 55 per cent of the global population, access remains highly uneven—84 per cent in high-income countries compared to just four per cent in low-income nations.
The ITU also highlighted major usage gaps, noting that users in high-income countries consume nearly eight times more mobile data than those in low-income countries.
Director of the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau, Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava, stressed that achieving universal and meaningful connectivity will require sustained investment in infrastructure, affordability, digital skills, and reliable data systems.
The report also points to disparities linked to income, gender, age, and location, with rural populations, women, and low-income countries making up a large share of those still offline.
