Assess the current state of global broadband infrastructure, quantify the digital divide across income and geography, and evaluate the technical and economic feasibility of closing the last-mile access gap by 2030.

ITU broadband database analysis across 195 countries (2020-2026). Cross-referenced with World Bank connectivity indices and GSMA mobile infrastructure reports. Fiber, satellite, and wireless cost curves from McKinsey and IRENA analyses. Case study analysis of successful last-mile programs: Rwanda fiber rollout, Starlink rural coverage, and India's BharatNet.

2 billion people lack reliable broadband access despite exponential growth in developed nations. The cost of connecting the final 15% of the global population is 5-10x higher per-user than connecting the first 85%, due to geographic remoteness and low population density. Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia account for 80% of the unconnected population.

The cost of universal broadband access by 2030 is estimated at $500B-$700B — a significant but manageable amount relative to global infrastructure spending. Fiber-to-the-home remains the gold standard for reliability but is economically infeasible in rural areas; satellite and 5G backhaul are emerging as cost-effective alternatives for last-mile delivery.