Key Findings from the 2024 National Survey on Availability and Use of Information Technologies in Households (ENDUTIH)
The 2024 National Survey on Availability and Use of Information Technologies in Households (ENDUTIH) has unveiled a historic milestone: Mexico now boasts over 100 million internet users, with an 83.1% coverage of the population aged six and above. However, this achievement masks underlying digital disparities that expose a nation split between those thriving in the digital world and those still on the periphery of connectivity.
Smartphones Dominate Internet Access
The survey, conducted in collaboration between INEGI and the Federal Institute of Telecommunications, highlights that smartphones have become the primary tool for democratizing internet access, with 97.2% of users accessing the web through these devices.
While this figure is positive, it conceals a reality: the near-total reliance on one device reflects the scarcity of access to other technologies, such as computers (35.9%) or tablets (8.1%). Smartphones have become the solution to connectivity, but they do not replace policies ensuring robust infrastructure, digitalization of small businesses, and digital skills.
Economic Constraints Limit Access
The average monthly spending on mobile phone services—161.8 pesos for prepaid and 477.5 for postpaid—indicates that internet connectivity remains a stratified luxury for millions of Mexicans.
Geographical and Generational Divide
The ENDUTIH 2024 confirms a long-standing trend: the digital divide is primarily a geographical and generational gap. While 86.9% of the urban population uses the internet, only 68.5% in rural areas do.
- States like Chiapas (64.9%), Oaxaca (66.2%), Guerrero (77.5%), and Veracruz (77.2%) exemplify this exclusion.
- Veracruz, in particular, faces a concerning situation, likely due to state neglect, insufficient private investment, and historical marginalization.
Older Generations Left Behind
The starkest data lies in age groups. Only 42.1% of individuals over 65 use the internet, with the primary reason for non-use being a lack of digital literacy (9.5%).
This signifies a social and institutional failure, as there are no digital literacy programs tailored for the elderly or campaigns to dispel the myth that “the internet is not for them.” While countries like South Korea (97.4% of users) successfully integrate their elderly into the digital era, Mexico leaves its seniors technologically isolated.
Key Questions and Answers
- What does the 100 million internet users milestone mean for Mexico? While it’s a significant achievement, it also highlights the digital divide and the need for further improvements in internet access and digital literacy.
- Why are smartphones so dominant in internet access? Smartphones have become the primary tool for accessing the web due to their widespread availability, despite limitations in access to other technologies.
- What are the economic constraints limiting internet access? High costs associated with mobile phone services create a barrier for many Mexicans, making internet connectivity a stratified luxury.
- Why is there a geographical and generational digital divide? Urban areas have significantly higher internet usage rates compared to rural regions, and older generations lag behind in digital literacy.
- What can be done to address these issues? Prioritize digital infrastructure in underserved areas, create a national digital literacy program focusing on older adults, indigenous communities, and rural regions, foster local innovation and e-commerce, and support regional entrepreneurship to generate employment and community technology ownership.
