World Bank: Mobile phone access reaches three quarters of world population

Newsroom 18/07/2012 | 13:31

With over 6 billion mobile subscriptions in use worldwide, up from fewer than 1 billion in 2000, three out of every four human beings worldwide now have access to a mobile phone, according to a report on global mobile trends released by infoDev and the World Bank.

More than 30 billion mobile applications were downloaded in 2011, says the report called Information and Communications for Development 2012: Maximizing Mobile. The report examines the vast transformative impact of mobile technology in sectors such as agriculture, health, financial services, and government.

One of the surprising conclusions of the survey was that the developing world is now more mobile than the developed world- most phones are owned by people living in low-income regions.

In developing countries, citizens are increasingly using mobile phones to create new livelihoods and enhance their lifestyles. Governments are using apps to improve service delivery and citizen feedback mechanisms.

Mobile devices are becoming cheaper while networks are doubling in bandwidth roughly every 18 months and expanding into rural areas.