GSMA Mobile Gender Gap Report

Access to a mobile phone and internet provides women with a range of opportunities to improve their lives, including information and services related to income generation, education, health, safety and personal wellbeing. These opportunities are even more critical as the pandemic continues to disproportionately affect women.

Sizing the mobile gender gap and generating country-level data draws attention to this issue and provides key evidence to inform action. This report explores the new research and shares examples of the work to drive digital and financial inclusion for women.

Ericsson Mobility Report 2021

For more than 18 months the world has faced a crisis on a scale that defies belief. As countries around the world deal with different phases of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is clear that technology, and specifically connectivity, increasingly supports many aspects of our everyday lives.

The resilience and diligence of the industry continues to be evidenced by the striking numbers in this edition of the Ericsson Mobility Report.

Devex Event

Many low- and middle-income countries have the potential to leapfrog high-income countries in their adoption of AI in Health. A new digital tool aims to help countries do this.

Check out this article by Head of the Novartis Foundation, Dr, Ann Aerts and Executive Director of the Broadband Commission and Director of the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau, Ms. Doreen Bodgan-Martin on the roadmap for countries to advance their readiness to deploy AI in health.

The Power of Internet Connectivity

For the world’s poorest youth, access to the internet and a connected device can unlock a better future. Connecting schools has the potential to boost GDP by up to 20 percent in the least connected nations.

A new Ericsson & UNICEF report by The EIU highlights the need for better school connectivity for all.

Eutelsat IGO 20th Anniversary

This July, EUTELSAT IGO celebrated its 20th Anniversary. We would to congratulate the organization and Broadband Commissioner and Executive Secretary Piotr Dmochowski-Lipski on 20 years of collaborative and impactful work to promote satellite technology, resolve digital inequalities and defend the public interest.

Forbes on Connectivity

A recent Forbes article explains, “The public and private sectors are already working hard to accomplish this goal. UNESCO and the ITU’s Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development have set an ambitious target of connecting 75% of the world’s population to fast internet via cable or wireless by 2025."

MWC Wireless Foundation Summit

The Wireless Foundation Summit, supported by our Commissioner Huawei, held at Mobile World Congress 2021, shone the spotlight on how mobile network operators can maximize the value of their networks and existing spectrum assets in a cost-efficient way.

Broadband Commissioner and CEO of the SAMENA Council Mr. Bocar Ba represented the Broadband Commission, opening the meeting by stating “Broadband connections should be reliable, universal, and excellent.”

Additional Commissioners attended MWC21 sessions under the theme of Connected Impact. Commissioner Mr. Mats Granryd, DG of GSMA highlighted that in the Covid pandemic “not one day of positive news would have been possible without mobile connectivity.”

Nokia’s Broadband Initiative for Native Americans

“At an age when high-speed internet has become the driving force behind education, healthcare, business and commerce, there are those who have been left stranded on the other side of the digital divide, unable to conduct even the basic tasks online. A case in point are remote tribal nations in the United States that have struggled with unreliable internet connectivity for years with no relief in sight.”

Check out how Nokia is extending broadband to remote Native American tribes in the US.

Digital Development Through Entrepreneurship-Driven Innovation

This session touched upon one of the critical enablers of connectivity, innovation. The meeting hosted industry leaders, entrepreneurs and youth representatives, including Broadband Commissioner and CTO of Ericsson, Mr. Erik Ekudden.

”The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated that local innovation cannot be spearheaded without properly built infrastructure” Ekudden stated at the meeting. For more insights, read the summary and watch the highlight video on the ITU website.

A Farewell to UN Women ED Ms. Phumzile Mlambo-Nguka

In mid-August 2021, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka will complete her second and last term as Executive Director of UN Women. Take a look back at eight years of her tenure at the helm of the organization.

We would like to express our gratitude for her contributions to the Broadband Commission over the years. Her advocacy for women’s digital rights and education have help shaped the policy recommendations of the Commission to this day.