Index published by the UN International Telecommunication Union
The ICT Development Index (IDI) is an index published by the United NationsInternational Telecommunication Union[1] based on internationally agreed information and communication technologies (ICT) indicators. This makes it a valuable tool for benchmarking the most important indicators for measuring the information society. The IDI is a standard tool that governments, operators, development agencies, researchers and others can use to measure the digital divide and compare ICT performance within and across countries.
Having the role to analyze the level of development of the information and communication technology sector (ICT), the ICT Development Index (IDI) is a composite indicator published by ITU between 2009 and 2017. It was discontinued in 2018, owing to issues of data availability and quality. In October 2022, ITU’s Plenipotentiary Conference 2022 in Bucharest adopted a revised text of Resolution 131, which defines, inter alia, the main features of the process for developing and adopting a new IDI methodology and of the IDI itself. In November 2023, the revised IDI methodology was approved by the Member States and is valid for four years.[2] In December 2023, the 2023 edition of the IDI based on the new methodology was released. The 2024 edition of the IDI was released in June 2024.[3]
^Proportion of individuals who used the Internet from any location in the last three months. The Internet is a worldwide public computer network. It provides access to a number of communication services including the World Wide Web and carries e-mail, news, entertainment and data files, irrespective of the device used (not assumed to be only via a computer − it may also be by mobile telephone, tablet, PDA, games machine, digital TV etc.). Access can be via a fixed or mobile network.
^ abProportion of households with Internet access at home. Internet access at home means that the Internet is generally available for use by all members of the household at any time, regardless of whether it is actually used. The connection and devices may or may not be owned by the household but should be considered household assets. If one member of the household has a mobile phone with connection to the Internet and makes it available for all members, then it should be considered that the household has access to the Internet. An Internet connection in the household should be working at the time of the survey.
^ abActive mobile-broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants. Active mobile-broadband subscriptions refers to the sum of standard mobile-broadband and dedicated mobile-broadband subscriptions to the public Internet. It covers actual subscribers, not potential subscribers, even though the latter may have broadband enabled-handsets. Subscriptions must include a recurring subscription fee or if in the prepayment modality, pass a usage requirement – users must have accessed the Internet in the last three months.
^ abPercentage of the population covered by at least a 3G mobile network refers to the percentage of inhabitants that are within range of at least a 3G mobile-cellular signal, irrespective of whether or not they are subscribers. This is calculated by dividing the number of inhabitants that are covered by at least a 3G mobile-cellular signal by the total population and multiplying by 100.
^ abPercentage of the population covered by at least a 4G/LTE mobile network refers to the percentage of inhabitants that live within range of LTE/LTE-Advanced, mobile WiMAX/WirelessMAN or other more advanced mobile-cellular networks, irrespective of whether or not they are subscribers. This is calculated by dividing the number of inhabitants that are covered by the previously mentioned mobile-cellular technologies by the total population and multiplying by 100. It excludes people covered only by HSPA, UMTS, EV-DO and previous 3G technologies, and also excludes fixed WiMAX coverage.
^ abMobile broadband Internet traffic per mobile-broadband subscription (GB). Mobile-broadband Internet traffic (within the country) refers to broadband traffic volumes originated within the country from 3G networks or other more advanced mobile-networks, including 3G upgrades, evolutions or equivalent standards in terms of data transmission speeds. Traffic should be collected and aggregated at the country level for all 3G or more advanced mobile networks within the country. Download and upload traffic should be added up and reported together. Traffic should be measured at the end-user access point. Wholesale and walled-garden traffic should be excluded. The indicator is calculated by dividing mobile-broadband Internet traffic (within the country) by active mobile-broadband subscriptions.
^ abFixed broadband Internet traffic per fixed broadband subscription (GB). Fixed (wired)- broadband Internet traffic refers to traffic generated by fixed-broadband subscribers measured at the end-user access point. It should be measured by adding up download and upload traffic. This should exclude wholesale traffic, walled garden, IPTV and cable TV traffic. The indicator is calculated by dividing fixed-broadband Internet traffic by total fixed broadband subscriptions.
^ abMobile-broadband data and voice high-consumption basket price as a percentage of GNI per capita (p.c.). The basket refers to the cheapest mobile broadband plan (and add-on) providing at least 2 GB of monthly data using at least 3G technology, 140 minutes of voice and 70 SMSs. See ITU ICT price statistics website for detailed data collection rules.
^ abEntry-level fixed-broadband basket price as percentage of GNI per capita. The basket is composed of the cheapest plan providing at least 5GB of monthly high-speed data (256Kbit/s or higher) from the operator with the largest market share in each economy. See ITU ICT price statistics website for detailed data collection rules.
^ abProportion of individuals who own a mobile phone. An individual owns a mobile cellular phone if he/she has a mobile cellular phone device with at least one active SIM card for personal use. It includes mobile cellular phones supplied by employers that can be used for personal reasons (to make personal calls, access the Internet, etc.) and those who have a mobile phone for personal use that is not registered under his/her name. It excludes individuals who have only active SIM card(s) and not a mobile phone device.
^Palestine is not an ITU Member State; the status of Palestine in ITU is the subject of Resolution 99 (Rev. Dubai, 2018) of the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference.
Note (ITU World Telecommunication): The reference year is 2022, unless otherwise indicated.