I was just in a remote area of Indonesia. Saw one “village” (more than a family or two in one place) over the course of a week, other than getting in and getting out. Quite a few locals put their notifications on when they went on their fishing boats, so that they would get a ping telling them they had access and could use the phone/internet. Normal people, normal smart phones, slightly more difficult access because it’s not a place you can put up cell towers everywhere.
Sure, many don’t have internet access. But I wonder if the reporter is simply ASSUMING.