Mobile internet access is exacerbating household wealth inequality in the Philippines

Mobile connectivity can have a positive economic impact on jobs and incomes. But how does it shape household wealth inequality? Zhiwu Wei, Neil Lee and Yohan Iddawela investigate. The Philippines serves as the ideal case study: it has seen a huge uptake in connectivity in recent years, while its 7000+ islands make physical connectivity costly, meaning the internet is often the dominant bridge to markets, services and opportunities.