Internet users rise to 3.2 bn in 2015 globally: Facebook

Internet users globally grew by 300 million to 3.2 billion at the end of 2015, partly due to affordable data and rising global income, says a report by social media giant Facebook. “During 2014, lower prices for data and rising global incomes have made mobile data packages affordable to 500 million more people,” it said. 

The 3G and 4G coverage suggest that 1.6 billion people live outside mobile broadband coverage, an improvement compared to 2 billion at the end of 2014, the report said. “Most people connect to the Internet using mobile devices, which are the only way to get online in many parts of the world. An estimated 2.7 billion people did not have mobile phone subscriptions in 2015,” it added. 

Despite this progress, the developing world is a long way behind as far as connectivity is concerned and even as urban areas are connected, many rural areas are not, the report said. Facebook said it is collaborating with the Centre for International Earth Science Information Network at Columbia University to validate detailed maps of population distribution produced for 20 countries using new machine learning techniques.