90% of world people use mobile phones: ITU

Ninety percent of the world population is now under mobile phone networks coverage, according to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

An ITU publication launched at the 'World Telecommunication Development Conference 2014 (WTDC) in Dubai says half of those covered by mobile phone networks have access to 3G technology.

It says there were nearly 6.8 billion mobile phone subscribers in 2013 and almost 2 billion people use mobile broadband technology to access the Internet.

According to the publication, 'Tracking of 4 years of Achievement Implementing the Hyderabad Action', the mobile broadband market has grown by an estimated 40 percent in 2013.

There are almost 2.7 billion Internet users, said the ITU, adding that 30 percent of it comprises the youth, whom they described as 'digital native' - active users of information technology.

The number of these digital natives will double within the next five years in developing countries, the report says.

Around 4.4 billion people are yet to use the Internet, and a huge number of developing nations are lagging behind in adopting IT as a development tool, says the ITU.