What the Digital Divide Means for Citizens

Currently, 44% of European Union residents lack basic digital skills, and one in five rural households remains without access to 5G networks. Connectivity has become as essential as electricity or heating, yet millions of people are still deprived of the benefits of the digital world.

Digital exclusion has direct consequences on quality of life. People without digital access are 1.5 times more likely to experience difficulties when interacting with healthcare systems, rely more heavily on emergency services, and face a higher risk of social isolation. In education, limited digital access reduces young people’s chances of developing essential skills, restricting their opportunities for integration and advancement. In civic life, digitally excluded citizens participate less in democratic processes, and their trust in institutions declines.

The Economic and Social Costs of Inaction

Vodafone’s report warns that failure to complete the digital transformation could cost the European Union €1.3 trillion in GDP by 2033. Factors contributing to this gap include urban-rural disparities, generational differences, and the low level of digitalization among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Only 20% of European SMEs have reached an advanced level of digitalization. Closing this gap could add €628 billion to the EU’s GDP. At present, EU firms generate only 76% of the value produced by their U.S. counterparts, a reflection of the slower pace of digital transformation.

Beyond the economic impact, the digital divide triggers a “snowball effect”: slower economic growth, weaker education systems, and regional decline—all of which undermine democratic resilience and social stability.

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European Examples and Paths Forward

The report also highlights positive examples. In Germany, digitalization boosted companies’ operating profits by €28 billion, while Portugal shows that digitized firms pay 37% higher wages thanks to increased productivity. In the Nordic countries, high levels of digital literacy correlate with stronger trust in public institutions.

In Romania, reaching the EU average on the DESI (Digital Economy and Society Index) by 2027 could add 3% to the national GDP—the equivalent of the country’s entire annual education budget.

To accelerate the digital transition, the report proposes four strategic directions:

1. Integrating digital inclusion into national economic and resilience strategies.
2. Developing digital skills through cooperation between governments, the private sector, and civil society.
3. Expanding the digitalization of public services to ensure universal access.
4. Rolling out next-generation connectivity infrastructure to enable a fair and inclusive pan-European digital ecosystem.

More information is available in the full report published here.

Photo: freepik.com

The post Europe Facing a €1.3 Trillion Digital Divide: Vodafone’s Solution, Digital Inclusion appeared first on careers-business.com.

With 3.5 million mobile customers – half of its peak in 2010 – and an operating profit of 1 million euros on revenues of 263 million euros in 2024, Telekom Mobile was sold for 70 million euros.

Digi will take over 1,5 million prepaid users

Digi will pay 40 million euros and take over 1.5 million prepaid users, while Vodafone will pay 30 million euros for 2 million subscribers, including business clients, along with the network of towers and infrastructure. The remaining stores and employees will be taken over by Vodafone.

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The seller, the Greek group OTE – which entered the Romanian market in 1998 by acquiring a 35% stake in Romtelecom – is closing its last international market. Under the increasing control of Deutsche Telekom, which now owns 55% of OTE, the withdrawal from Romania began back in 2018, following several failed attempts to sell the strategic infrastructure to investors.

The post Telekom Mobile, formerly Cosmorom, exits the market. Digi and Vodafone take over customers and infrastructure appeared first on careers-business.com.