Digital Society Foundation is proud to be a member of the Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI – www.a4ai.org), which recently released its 2017 Affordability Report.

Why have we joined? Right now, just one in three people in the developing world are online – with cost being the key barrier. In developed nations, broadband Internet costs 1-2% of monthly per capita income — less than a daily coffee. In less developed countries, however, this figure skyrockets to over 30% for a fixed line and to between 11% and 25% for a basic mobile broadband package (depending on options chosen). A4AI’s goal? Meeting the UN’s target of broadband prices at less than 5% of monthly incomes to allow millions more to access the life changing potential of the Internet.

The Alliance and its members believe that policy and regulatory change can drive prices down fast, and so all members have endorsed a set of policy and regulatory best practices designed to create the conditions for open, competitive and innovative broadband markets. Since its launch a year ago, the Alliance has signed deals with four countries, and is working on the ground to build local coalitions that can conceive and deliver solutions tailored to local realities.

To find out more about the Alliance’s work, check out the 2016 infographic below, visit the Alliance’s website or follow them on Twitter.