Slow speeds are the biggest individual obstacle preventing rural Pakistani mobile internet users from increasing their usage, GSMA research shows.
The State of Mobile Internet Connectivity 2026 report found that 20% of rural users identified slow speeds as their main constraint. The corresponding figure for urban users was 14%, a gap of six percentage points.
The findings concern people who already use mobile internet. They highlight difficulties in using it more extensively, rather than reasons for remaining offline.
Rural users put connection quality first
Connectivity experience ranked as the leading overall barrier among rural Pakistani users. Safety and security concerns came second, followed by literacy and digital skills.
Urban respondents reported a different order of priorities. Literacy and digital skills ranked first, safety and security second, and connectivity experience third.
A lack of confidence in using mobile internet remained a shared concern. Some 16% of both rural and urban users identified it as their single most important obstacle.
These findings distinguish individual problems, such as slow speeds, from broader categories containing several related barriers. That distinction helps explain why the rankings cover more than connection performance alone.
For rural users, the results suggest that access to a network does not necessarily deliver a satisfactory internet experience. For urban users, skills and confidence remain significant constraints even after adoption.
Survey examines existing users’ experience
GSMA groups slow speeds and inconsistent or unavailable coverage under connectivity experience. Safety concerns cover issues including fraud, information security, harmful content and unwanted contact.
The Pakistan comparisons draw on the GSMA Consumer Survey conducted in 2025. The relevant tables cover mobile internet users aged 18 and above.
Respondents selected the single most important factor stopping them from using mobile internet more. The results therefore reflect users’ reported priorities, rather than measured network download speeds.
Across 14 low- and middle-income countries, the wider survey involved more than 16,200 respondents. GSMA describes it as an annual, face-to-face, nationally representative survey.
Coverage alone cannot close the gap
The Pakistani findings sit within a broader global challenge: network availability does not automatically translate into adoption or greater usage.
GSMA estimates that 4.8 billion people used mobile internet on their own devices by the end of 2025. That represented 59% of the global population.
However, 3.4 billion people still did not use mobile internet. Some 38% of the world’s population lived within mobile broadband coverage without using it, while 3% lacked coverage altogether.
For Pakistan, the rural and urban differences suggest a need for responses tailored to users’ circumstances.
Faster connections and more dependable service could address rural users’ leading concern. Digital skills support and stronger online safety measures would address barriers in both settings.
The findings indicate that expanding coverage remains only part of the task. Encouraging greater use also requires attention to service quality, confidence and the ability to navigate online risks.
