ITU Unveils Four-Year Plan to Connect the World's 2.2 Billion Unconnected

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) unveiled a comprehensive four-year connectivity plan (2026–2029) in April 2026 aimed at achieving universal and meaningful internet access worldwide. The plan targets the 2.2 billion people still without internet — approximately 25% of the global population — using a multi-pronged approach combining satellite broadband expansion, rural fiber deployment, mobile network densification, spectrum reform, and digital skills programs. The announcement accompanied the ITU Global Connectivity Report 2025, which documented for the first time that 6 billion people (75% of the global population) are now online — a milestone that nonetheless highlights the scale of work remaining to connect the last quarter.