1 World Connected is a research project of the Center for Technology, Innovation and Competition at the University of Pennsylvania. Governments, civil society organizations, and businesses around the world have initiated a wide range of efforts to improve broadband adoption around the world. 1 World Connected seeks to consolidate, extend, and share information about these efforts by collecting and disseminating case studies on practices that have proven effective in improving broadband adoption.

The case studies provide meaningful information on last mile project deployments that use a myriad of funding sources, stakeholder groups and technologies in every region across the world. The initiative aims to bring together a community of infrastructure project owners, investors, government actors, and more to communicate about projects, priorities, and potential deals; advocate for better regulatory environments; and enable data sharing.

1 World Connected has been supported by American Tower, AT&T, Cellular Operators Association of India, Comcast, Disney, Facebook, GSMA, Intel, ICANN, Internet Society, ITI, Microsoft, and Verizon.

1 World Connected collaborates with several international organizations to expand Internet connectivity. Click to view our full list of collaborations
  • Working Group, Education for the Most Marginalised post-COVID 19 (EMMpost-Covid-19) (2020–present)
  • Global Connectivity Working Group, UN Secretary General High-Level Panel on Digital Cooperation (2020–present)
  • Working Group on School Connectivity, Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development, co-chaired by the UNICEF, UNESCO, and International Telecommunications Union(2019–2020)
  • Advisory Group, GIGA Initiative, coordinated by International Telecommunication Union and UNICEF (2019–present) Research Coalition, EQUALS: Global Partnership to Bridge the Digital Gender Divide, co-sponsored by the International Telecommunications Union, GSMA, International Trade Centre, and UN Women (2018–present)
  • Dynamic Coalition on Innovative Approaches to Connecting the Unconnected, United Nations Internet Governance Forum (IGF) (2016–present)
  • Inter-American Development Bank (2019-20)
  • Evaluation Committee, Humanitarian Activities Committee, IEEE (2018-2019)
  • Lead for Evidence-Based Research Working Group, Internet Inclusion Advancing Solutions, IEEE (2016-19)
  • Project Lead for the Data Working Group and Steering Committee Member, Internet for All, World Economic Forum (2016-19)

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