Note: CIS is the Commonwealth of Independent States. Source: International Telecommunications Union, ITU regional classification https://datahub.itu.int/data/?i=19255. effectively impaired internet connectivity. SMC = Submarine cable. Source: Cariolle, J. (2026). Digital Transformations in Developing Economies: From the First-mile Infrastructure to the End- user Fingertips. WIPO Economic Research Working Paper Series No. 96. Geneva: WIPO; data and calculation. Once SMCs are laid, access to telecommunications and the internet primarily relies on the terrestrial network at the national level. In African countries, this network is mainly the mobile In contrast, European countries extensively rely on fixed broadband networks, including when reaching the last mile, often relegating mobile infrastructure to a supplementary role the types of digital services accessible to users.