A new approach to shed light on the digital divide

In many countries, reliable statistics on who uses the internet, and where, are still scarce. National censuses and household surveys provide the most accurate insights, but they are infrequent and often lack the fine-grained geographic detail needed to guide effective digital inclusion policies. This leaves policymakers, researchers, and businesses in the dark when trying to expand internet access to underserved communities.

ITU is experimenting with small area estimation techniques that combine actual Data on ICT access and use from national household survey data (or census data) with geospatial big data help identify unconnected areas within countries.