Digital divide stories

Malaysia banks on AI, chips and data centres to sustain 4-5% growth in 2026, as SME adoption and workforce skills emerge as key tests.

Singapore’s young people are the world’s most ready to use AI in work, study and daily life, topping a 120-country digital readiness study.

Canada is investing CAD $2,815,999 to boost digital skills and AI adoption across Nunavut, the Northwest Territories and the Yukon.

TELUS lights up a 125km subsea fibre cable under the St Lawrence, boosting North Shore resilience with a CAD $20m backup link.

Canada distils record public input into priorities for a 2026 AI strategy, balancing innovation, security, sovereignty and public trust.

Manchester’s Turing Innovation Catalyst has picked seven early-stage AI startups for its first TIC Startup Lab incubator cohort.

WorkVentures urges Australian firms and government to donate unused devices as 1.42 million young people lack a computer at home.

TUANZ has teamed with Recycle A Device to supply refurbished laptops to students, targeting New Zealand’s growing digital divide in 2026.

One NZ extends Starlink-powered satellite service with limited data apps and WhatsApp calling for eligible phones beyond mobile coverage.

Free internet pilots in Victoria and Western Australia have connected over 350 vulnerable people, offering a scalable model for digital inclusion.

The pioneer who coined AGI forecasts 2026 as a pivotal year of steady AI gains, from memory-rich assistants to robots in human spaces.

Cambridge Broadband Networks Group launches VectaStar NR, a 5G mmWave fixed wireless platform promising fibre-grade last-mile speeds.

Smart appliances are spreading faster in the Global South than Western Europe, as households chase lower running costs over green credentials.

One NZ logs 17.4% New Year mobile data spike and 50% holiday satellite user jump as Kiwis head off-grid and demand always-on coverage.

CelcomDigi finishes IOI estate-wide 4G rollout, linking over 100 plantations and nearby rural communities for digital operations and services.

Virgin Media O2 will donate 12,000 refurbished smartphones in 2026 to help tackle digital exclusion and cut electronic waste across the UK.

Canada commits to expanding high-speed internet to 1,922 rural and Indigenous homes across 28 communities in Saskatchewan.

CelcomDigi completes over 100 new 4G sites across IOI plantations, boosting estate connectivity, automation plans and rural coverage in Malaysia.

Huawei kit swap-out blamed as London’s 5G speeds and reliability fall behind Glasgow and other UK cities, new analysis suggests.

Progress predicts 2026 will mark a shift from AI pilots to orchestrated, governed platforms, widening the gap between leaders and laggards.