Pakistan is facing one of the world’s largest mobile internet usage gaps, with around 140 million people living in areas covered by mobile broadband networks but not actually using mobile internet, according to the GSMA’s State of Mobile Internet Connectivity 2026 report. The figure places Pakistan among the countries with the largest absolute mobile internet usage gaps globally, alongside Nigeria, while India holds the world’s largest gap at around 710 million people. The findings indicate that Pakistan’s digital challenge has moved beyond simply expanding network coverage and now centers more heavily on making internet access affordable, useful, and accessible to those already within reach of a signal.
According to the GSMA Consumer Survey 2025, literacy and digital skills, affordability, and relevance rank among the key barriers preventing greater mobile internet adoption across Pakistan. Family related restrictions, safety concerns, and the overall quality of connectivity also continue to affect usage patterns, with the specific mix of challenges varying notably between urban and rural communities. The report emphasizes that expanding faster networks and introducing newer technologies alone will not be sufficient to close this gap, since a large number of people who already live within mobile broadband coverage areas still lack either affordable internet enabled devices or the practical skills needed to make effective use of digital services.
Handset affordability emerges as a particularly significant concern within the report’s findings. Across low and middle income countries more broadly, an entry level internet enabled handset accounted for 44 percent of average monthly income among the poorest 20 percent of the population by the end of 2025. The GSMA estimates that reducing entry level smartphone prices to a range of 20 to 30 dollars could make smartphones affordable to an additional 1.6 to 2.2 billion people globally, underscoring how significant a role device pricing plays in determining whether coverage actually translates into usage. For Pakistan specifically, measures such as promoting low cost smartphones, supporting local handset assembly, increasing market competition, and improving financing options for device purchases could help bring more people online.
Beyond affordability, the report points to digital literacy programmes as another important lever for closing the usage gap, particularly those that teach practical skills related to digital payments, e-commerce, online education, employment platforms, and government services. Improving network quality and data affordability also remains essential for existing users, since slow speeds, inconsistent coverage, and high data costs can limit how frequently people use mobile internet even after they have gained initial access to it. Closing Pakistan’s 140 million person mobile internet usage gap could provide a meaningful boost to digital commerce, financial inclusion, education, and access to public services, with the GSMA findings suggesting that the country’s next phase of digitalisation will need to focus not only on continued network expansion but also on making mobile internet more affordable, relevant, safe, and easier to use for the population already within reach of existing infrastructure.
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