Single Device Digital Access

#SingleDeviceDigitalAcess

#India

Here’s an overview of single‑device digital access in India, particularly mobile‑only users:

1. Mobile-Centric Internet Access

Over 1.12 billion mobile connections, which is ~78 % of the population, exist, but only around 52 % of those use internet regularly  .

As of early 2025, there are approximately 900 million internet users, with rural adoption growing faster (16 % annual rate vs urban’s 8–10 %) .

2. One Device per Household

Many Indian households—especially in rural or lower-income groups—share a single smartphone across members, often controlled by the head of the family .

This dynamic influences access to education, digital services, and privacy, particularly for women and girls .

3. Rural–Urban Digital Divide

Despite rural India having more absolute internet users (~350 million vs 341 million urban), internet penetration remains much higher in urban areas (69 %) compared to rural (37 %) .

Connectivity is improving with 4G coverage now reaching 95 % of the population and ~970 million internet connections by mid‑2024 .

4. Device Types & User Behavior

100 % of internet users, both rural and urban, access the internet via mobile phones; PCs/tablets are used by fewer than 15 %

Feature phone users (250 million still on 2G) are being enabled to use 4G internet through ultra‑low‑cost devices like the Rs 299 Jio Bharat .

5. Gender & Inclusion Challenges

Only about 70 % of adults in India own mobile phones, and among them 80 % have smartphones .

Gender gaps persist: for example, in Telangana 77 % of men vs 68 % of women use smartphones; women also tend to rely more on basic feature phones .

Digital literacy remains low: just 38 % of households are truly digitally literate, and among the poorest 20 %, under 9 % have internet access .

Summary

Mobile-first access means many Indians are mobile-only internet users, often sharing a single device.

Rural areas no longer lag in numbers, though their per-person access is still behind urban.

Progress in 4G coverage and introduction of affordable 4G devices are enabling more users to go online.

However, real access is constrained by device sharing, intra-household control, gender disparities, and low digital literacy.

Government initiatives like BharatNet or PMGDISHA?