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People worldwide are more connected than ever due to digital technologies, mobile phones, and the internet, which have changed business, education, and knowledge sharing. Information and communication technology (ICT) enables electronic communication, capture, processing, and transmission of information. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted digital inequality, with most countries relying on mobile phones and internet connectivity during home quarantine measures.

Globally, mobile phone ownership is widespread, with 108 subscriptions per 100 people in 2019, and 8.7 billion active mobile cellular subscriptions. In the Tropics, access to mobile phones has increased dramatically since 2000, but still trails behind the rest of the world. Internet usage has also increased, with 53.5% of people worldwide using the internet in 2019, but only 37.1% in the Tropics.

Recent advances in mobile technology have allowed more people to access the internet, but access to mobile broadband remains low in many parts of the Tropics. Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellations could expand high-speed internet to underserved regions, but costs are potentially high. Internet access varies between regions, gender, and age, with urban areas, men, and young people more likely to use the internet.

In the Tropics, lack of access to ICT at school and home limits students' ability to learn digital skills, essential for participating in the global digital economy. There is huge variation in schools with internet access, from less than 3% in some countries to 100% in others. Some regions, such as Africa and South Asia, have particularly low levels of internet access at home.

Generally, ICT is less likely to be included in primary school curriculums, but most countries include it in upper secondary curriculums. Fewer youth and adults have basic digital skills in the Tropics than in the rest of the world, but some exceptions exist, such as Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, and Singapore. The Tropics export around 40% of all ICT goods, dominated by South-East Asia and Central America.

Globally, almost one-quarter of all people used the internet to make a purchase in 2019, but this was concentrated in wealthy countries. The rapid expansion of electrical and electronic equipment manufacturing has led to growth in electronic waste (e-waste), with tropical countries producing far less e-waste than nations in North America and Europe.