The UN Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development wants all countries to have a funded national broadband plan by 2025 as part of its efforts to make internet available to more people.

In a statement, it said 50 per cent of the world’s population is expected to be connected to the internet by the end of 2019, which leaves around 3.8 billion people “unconnected and unable to benefit from key social and economic resources in our expanding digital world.”

The commission, which is backed by America Movil owner Carlos Slim among others, set targets for 2025 in support of  “connecting the other half” as it considers this important to achieving its Sustainable Development Goals. The targets were launched at a joint meeting of the commission and the World Economic Forum at the latter’s annual meeting, taking place this week in Davos, Switzerland.

They include making entry-level broadband services affordable in developing countries, at less than 2 per cent of monthly gross national income per capita, as well as internet user penetration of 75 per cent worldwide.

The commission also wants 40 per cent of the world’s population to be using digital financial services and reduce a lack of connectivity among small businesses by 50 per cent.