Digital transformation underpinned by state-of-the-art digital infrastructure is revolutionizing our socioeconomic fabric, how people access information and engage with one another and society at large. To fully harness this potential, we must ensure global access to high-speed and reliable quality communications networks and services. Bridging the digital divides is essential for creating a more prosperous world with ubiquitous connectivity. Technology can be the ultimate equalizer, empowering businesses, individuals, and communities to thrive if we are able to ensure access for all, leaving no one behind. APWireless is united with the global community to understand the evolving digital divide while also taking the necessary steps towards closing it. As a global investor in mission critical digital infrastructure, APWireless stands firmly committed towards this endeavor.
The Importance of Accessibility in the Digital Landscape
The concept of general-purpose technology, or GPT, highlights how transformative technologies drive economic growth and reshape the way we conduct business and live our lives. GPTs have the power to impact entire economies, influencing everything from productivity and competitiveness to social dynamics. Historically, we have seen this with the steam engine, the railroad, electricity, and the automobile. Today, we stand on the brink of a new technological era with digital infrastructure capabilities supporting innovations in artificial intelligence and machine learning, which promise to redefine our future.
World leaders who recently convened in New York for the Summit of the Future, have included a Global Digital Compact in the Pact for the Future recognizing the pivotal role of universal and meaningful connectivity and affordable access in unlocking the full potential of digital and emerging technologies. Promoting investment in network deployment is therefore essential for fostering sustained economic growth and innovation. The World Bank suggests that raising the connectivity rate to 75% in all developing countries would add as much as 2 trillion USD to collective GDP and create 140 million jobs worldwide. However, the ITU and the IMF have estimated that around $430 billion of investment is needed to provide the infrastructure required to enable universal access to broadband by 2030.
According to the ITU, the relentless worldwide demand for internet data is consistently increasing the need for global bandwidth consumption. In recent reports published by Forbes, approximately 5.4 billion people, or about 67% of the world’s population, are accessing the Internet. Nonetheless, that still means that 2.6 billion remain unconnected and precluded from the socioeconomic benefits attached to connectivity.
Bridging the Digital Divide: The Path to Ubiquitous Broadband Coverage
In today’s interconnected world, access to reliable broadband is essential, and achieving ubiquitous coverage for all requires a critical component; an adequate policy and regulatory framework that enables private investment. We need regulatory frameworks that encourage infrastructure deployment, with governments creating incentives for broadband investment and fostering public-private partnerships to overcome barriers. At the same time, broadband providers must achieve scale and profitability to fund network expansion and enhance service quality, particularly in unserved and underserved areas.
Private investment can cover the bulk of deployment costs, but public funding may be needed in the harder to reach areas. As a leading global telecom and digital infrastructure investment company, APWireless plays a crucial role as a source of private investment in the connectivity chain. APWireless engages in global partnerships to invest and deliver the foundational networks and services that enable widespread access to the internet and digital technologies.
As we look at what the future has in store from a social and technological perspective, to create a more prosperous world with ubiquitous connectivity, it is the responsibility of policymakers, industry leaders, and investors to unify around the goal of making broadband accessible to all. Together, we can design the necessary policy frameworks and attract the investment needed to build a robust, resilient digital infrastructure. The promise of ubiquitous connectivity is within reach. By harnessing the power of effective regulation and private investment, we can create a more connected, equitable world where everyone has the opportunity to thrive in the digital age.