The milestone was announced in Barcelona on March 1, 2026, by Yang Chaobin, CEO of Huawei’s ICT Business Group, during the company’s TECH Cares Forum, held alongside Mobile World Congress.

The achievement exceeds the commitment Huawei made in 2022 when it joined the ITU-led initiative, pledging to connect 120 million people in underserved areas by 2025.

Yang thanked Huawei’s operator customers and ecosystem partners for what he described as a “shared effort” to close the connectivity gap.

“We not only met our target, but we exceeded it,” he said. “By the end of 2025, we had worked with our customers to connect 170 million people in remote regions to the digital world.”

Digital divide risks widening in AI era

The forum brought together around 80 representatives from governments, industry, international organisations and non-profits to examine the next phase of digital inclusion, particularly as artificial intelligence accelerates.

Yang warned that despite rapid technological progress, the digital divide persists and could widen in the AI era.

“High-speed networks and robust computing facilities are essential foundations for an inclusive and sustainable AI era,” he said. “AI will shape the future, but before we can realise its full potential, we must strengthen digital infrastructure and ensure no community is left behind.”

Huawei’s fulfilment of its P2C pledge, he added, demonstrates how infrastructure investment can translate into tangible social impact, including improved access to healthcare, education and financial services in rural communities.

Cosmas Zavazava, director of the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau, praised the progress made under the coalition framework.

“Connecting rural and underserved communities requires innovative business models, inclusivity, effective use of communication resources, community engagement and sustained investment in local capacity,” he said. “I applaud Huawei’s commitment to universal and meaningful connectivity, and I am proud of our strong and successful partnership.”

The ITU’s Partner2Connect Digital Coalition was launched to mobilise commitments and investments aimed at achieving universal connectivity, particularly in least developed countries and small island developing states.

Connectivity and skills: twin pillars of inclusion

Beyond network rollout, Huawei executives stressed that digital inclusion also depends on skills development.

Jeff Wang, president of public affairs and communications at Huawei, said inclusion rests on two pillars: access and capability.

“Inclusive connectivity must go hand in hand with digital skills empowerment,” he said.

Huawei works with governments and local partners to expand digital access, deliver training and develop STEM curricula for students, young people, women and older citizens. Its ‘Skills on Wheels’ programme—mobile digital training units deployed in remote and underserved areas—has reached more than 130,000 people in 21 countries since its launch in 2019.

Examples highlighted at the forum included digital classrooms supporting students in Kenya, inclusive finance initiatives in rural Bangladesh, and mobile medical connectivity solutions linking remote communities in Argentina to healthcare professionals.

Rural innovation and operator partnerships

A significant share of the 170 million newly connected users has been reached through Huawei’s rural network portfolio, first introduced in 2017 and subsequently upgraded to improve affordability and deployment efficiency.

In November 2025, Huawei launched RuralCow, a compact rural coverage solution designed to extend connectivity to villages of around 1,500 residents. The solution has been deployed with support from operators including MTN Nigeria.

Marina Madale, executive for sustainability and shared value at MTN Group, reinforced the importance of partnership.

“Connectivity is not a privilege; it is foundational infrastructure for Africa’s growth,” she said. “We are prioritising rural coverage expansion, device affordability, and the development of digital and AI-ready skills.”

The collaboration model reflects a broader industry trend: operators, vendors and development institutions pooling resources to de-risk rural investment and accelerate returns through shared infrastructure, energy-efficient equipment and new business models.

AI integration and sustainable development

The Barcelona event also featured a recorded message from Professor Jeffrey Sachs, president of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network and professor at Columbia University. Sachs described Huawei as a “world leader” in integrating advanced digital technologies, including 5.5G and AI, across sectors such as healthcare, education, transport and mining.

He argued that the combination of advanced mobile networks, affordable devices and AI-driven applications could prove transformative for social inclusion, agricultural productivity, healthcare delivery and public service efficiency.

“We are at a moment of breakthrough,” he said, pointing to strong demand from governments, particularly in Africa, for integrated digital infrastructure to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals.

Participants agreed that advancing digital inclusion in the AI era will require coordinated action from governments, operators, international organisations and technology providers.

From pledge to platform

For Huawei, surpassing its ITU commitment serves both as a proof point and a platform for further expansion. The company says it will continue investing in rural network innovation, strengthening open partnerships and scaling digital skills initiatives.

Industry observers note that connecting the next billion users, many in geographically challenging or low-income regions, will require continued innovation in low-cost radio access, satellite backhaul integration, energy efficiency and flexible financing.

As AI applications proliferate, the stakes are rising. Without reliable broadband and computing infrastructure, underserved regions risk falling further behind in productivity, education and public services.

By exceeding its Partner2Connect target three years after joining the coalition, Huawei has positioned itself as a central contributor to the universal connectivity agenda. The next phase, stakeholders agreed in Barcelona, will be less about headline numbers and more about ensuring that connectivity translates into meaningful, measurable social and economic outcomes.