SDG #9 is to “Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation”
Within SDG #9 are 8 targets, of which we here focus on Target 9.c:
Significantly increase access to information and communications technology and strive to provide universal and affordable access to the Internet in least developed countries by 2020
Target 9.c has one indicator:
Indicator 9.c.1: Proportion of population covered by a mobile network, by technology
As of 2022, 97% of the global population had access to 2G networks, an increase of a couple percentage points since 2015. 3G coverage was 95%, up from 78% in 2015. 4G access was 87%, up from 43% in 2015.
Among the least developed countries, there was 91% access across the population, up from 86% in 2015. 4G access for the LDCs stood at 48% in 2022, up from 15%, demonstrating mobile phone coverage is one of the brightest spots in SDG progress. Yet this still missed the aim of Target 9.c for universal access to the internet for least developed countries by 2020. In 2020, 91% of the population of LDCs had access to 2G networks and 79% to 3G, short of the 100% access needed for universality.
