Access Isn’t Equal: A Map of Mobile Technology
How geography, age, and class shape everyday smartphone use
Project by Nona Saharan
And yet,
3.1B
58%
people experience barriers other than coverage availability keeping them offline
of the world’s population use mobile internet services on their own device, according to GMSA
+ VIDEO
+ INTRO
Click on the map pins above to meet the interviewees
Device & Plan
- On a family plan managed and paid for by his father through EE, one of the UK’s largest mobile providers
- Limited awareness of plan cost, data limits, or provider details
- Connectivity feels automatic and taken-for-granted
Connectivity Experience
- Strong, reliable mobile coverage in Edinburgh
- Noticeably weaker signal when traveling to rural areas and countryside
- Dropped connections and slower data speeds outside urban centers
Digital Literacy & Awareness
- Comfortable using phone for social media, navigation, and communication
- Limited understanding of how mobile networks or coverage maps work
- Connectivity issues are temporary inconveniences, not structural limits
Abhishek
Cousin, 20 years old
Plan & Provider: EE Family PlanWho Pays: Parent
Click here for the key insight
Urban infrastructure creates a sense of seamless access that masks both economic dependence and geographic inequality
Edinburgh, Scotland
Device & Plan
- Uses an individual unlimited plan through AT&T
- Receives a military discount available to active-duty service members
- Discount lowers monthly cost but does not expand provider choice
- Limited carrier competition in Alaska makes switching plans unrealistic
Connectivity Experience
- Connectivity is inconsistent despite unlimited data
- Signal strength varies due to mountainous terrain and dense forests
- Weather conditions frequently interfere with service reliability
- Coverage gaps exist even within short distances
Digital Literacy & Awareness
Sanjana
- Highly digitally literate and comfortable managing device settings
- Understands plan structure and data usage, but cannot overcome infrastructure limits
Family Friend, 27 years old
Plan & Provider: AT&T PlanWho Pays: Self, military discount
Click here for the key insight
Institutional support (such as military discounts) can reduce cost barriers, but cannot resolve geographic constraints on access
Juneau, Alaska
Device & Plan
- Manages a family plan covering five phones
- Unlimited data with international roaming and in-flight Wi-Fi benefits
- Family plan structure reduces friction for individual users
Connectivity Experience
- Previously experienced patchy service with AT&T in his town
- Compared Verizon and T-Mobile before switching providers
- Chose T-Mobile for stronger coverage and better pricing
- Currently experiences reliable connectivity across daily travel
Digital Literacy & Awareness
- Moved to the US from India in the early 2000s
- Early digital literacy developed through friends and word-of-mouth
- Prefers mobile data over public Wi-Fi due to security concerns
- Comfortable managing plans and connectivity today
Manmohan
Father, 55 years old
Plan & Provider: T-Mobile Magenta Who Pays: Self, Family Plan
Click here for the key insight
Stable access is built on economic security, shared payment structures, and accumulated digital literacy
Princeton, New Jersey
Why This Project Matters
Smartphones are often treated as universal tools, but the conditions behind access vary widely. Who pays for a device, where someone lives, and how much they understand about connectivity all shape how technology fits into daily life. By mapping real people’s experiences across age and geography, this project highlights how access to technology is layered, unequal, and deeply connected to class and infrastructure.
Device & Plan
- Uses an individual mobile plan with low data costs
- Smartphone devices are relatively expensive in compared to income
- Relies on purchasing devices while traveling to the US, where it is cheaper
- Children manage and pay for their own plans in different Indian cities
Connectivity Experience
- Mobile signal in rural hometown Rohtak was inconsistent and unreliable
- Relied on open/public Wi-Fi networks for better connectivity
- Moving to Pune significantly improved signal strength and reliability
Digital Literacy & Awareness
Meena
- Limited formal digital education or training in India
- Lower awareness of device settings, privacy, and plan features
- Digital literacy closely tied to access to resources and income
Aunt, 48 years old
Plan & Provider: BSNL PlanWho Pays: Self
Click here for the key insight
Affordable data does not guarantee meaningful access without stable infrastructure and digital literacy
Pune, India
What is the digital divide? The digital divide refers to the gap between people who have meaningful access to digital technologies and those who do not. This divide is not only about whether someone owns a device, but also about affordability, quality of connectivity, digital literacy, and the ability to use technology freely and safely. Factors such as income, age, geography, and infrastructure shape how people experience access.
Access Isn’t Equal: A Map of Mobile Technology
Nona Saharan
Created on February 9, 2026
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Transcript
Access Isn’t Equal: A Map of Mobile Technology
How geography, age, and class shape everyday smartphone use
Project by Nona Saharan
And yet,
3.1B
58%
people experience barriers other than coverage availability keeping them offline
of the world’s population use mobile internet services on their own device, according to GMSA
+ VIDEO
+ INTRO
Click on the map pins above to meet the interviewees
Device & Plan
Connectivity Experience
Digital Literacy & Awareness
Abhishek
Cousin, 20 years old
Plan & Provider: EE Family PlanWho Pays: Parent
Click here for the key insight
Urban infrastructure creates a sense of seamless access that masks both economic dependence and geographic inequality
Edinburgh, Scotland
Device & Plan
Connectivity Experience
Digital Literacy & Awareness
Sanjana
Family Friend, 27 years old
Plan & Provider: AT&T PlanWho Pays: Self, military discount
Click here for the key insight
Institutional support (such as military discounts) can reduce cost barriers, but cannot resolve geographic constraints on access
Juneau, Alaska
Device & Plan
Connectivity Experience
Digital Literacy & Awareness
Manmohan
Father, 55 years old
Plan & Provider: T-Mobile Magenta Who Pays: Self, Family Plan
Click here for the key insight
Stable access is built on economic security, shared payment structures, and accumulated digital literacy
Princeton, New Jersey
Why This Project Matters
Smartphones are often treated as universal tools, but the conditions behind access vary widely. Who pays for a device, where someone lives, and how much they understand about connectivity all shape how technology fits into daily life. By mapping real people’s experiences across age and geography, this project highlights how access to technology is layered, unequal, and deeply connected to class and infrastructure.
Device & Plan
Connectivity Experience
Digital Literacy & Awareness
Meena
Aunt, 48 years old
Plan & Provider: BSNL PlanWho Pays: Self
Click here for the key insight
Affordable data does not guarantee meaningful access without stable infrastructure and digital literacy
Pune, India
What is the digital divide? The digital divide refers to the gap between people who have meaningful access to digital technologies and those who do not. This divide is not only about whether someone owns a device, but also about affordability, quality of connectivity, digital literacy, and the ability to use technology freely and safely. Factors such as income, age, geography, and infrastructure shape how people experience access.