OECD Report Reveals Internet Unaffordability and Inaccessibility Challenges in Georgia
The OECD’s SME Policy Index report on “Eastern Partner Countries 2024” shows that affordability of fixed and mobile broadband subscriptions remains a challenge in Georgia. Prices have declined in recent years, but remain slightly above the International Telecommunication Union’s (ITU) 2% target, at 2.35% of per capita gross national income (GNI) in 2022.
The report highlights that many businesses, especially smaller ones, don’t have very fast Internet. Some 61% of connected businesses have internet speeds of less than 30 megabits per second. This is even a bigger problem for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). Statistically, 79% of large businesses have high-speed Internet (over 30 Mbps), while only 54% of medium businesses and 38% of small businesses do.
Nevertheless, Georgia has continued to improve its internet connectivity in recent years. It has become one of the most connected countries in the EaP, with fixed and mobile broadband subscriptions increasing by around 50% between 2015 and 2020. In addition, the digital divide between urban and rural areas was more than halved over this period (-64%), falling to 12.6% in 2021.
“Moving forward, Georgia could foster competition, investment, and innovation to ultimately support faster Internet at lower prices; strengthen the demand side by ensuring consumers’ access to information on broadband services and quality; and promote SMEs’ uptake of high-speed Internet,” – OECD recommends.
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