ICT Households 2010: computer and Internet access in households continues to grow, but at a slower pace

The Brazilian Internet Steering Committee (CGI.br) releases the results of the sixth ICT Households Survey. More than 24,000 households were interviewed in all regions of Brazil regarding technological infrastructure in Brazilian households, profile of Brazilian computer and Internet users, use of computer and Internet, and mobility and portability.

Conducted by the Center of Studies on Information and Communication Technologies (CETIC.br), part of the Brazilian Network Information Center (NIC.br), the survey presents results for the whole of Brazil, as well as specific breakdowns for urban and rural areas, present since 2008.

Presence of computer and Internet
Between 2009 and 2010, the proportion of Brazilian households with a computer increased from 32% to 35%, representing a growth of 9%. In urban areas, this proportion increased from 36% in 2009 to 39% in 2010, recording a growth rate of 8%. These results show that the proportion of households with a computer more than doubled in urban areas over the last six years, although this year's growth is lower than that of the previous survey.

In 2010, Internet access in urban households grew by 15% compared to the previous year, a lower rate than in 2009, the year which saw the highest growth since the series began. The compounded annual average growth of network access in urban Brazilian households was 19% between 2005 and 2010.

“We continue to see an increase in the presence of computers and the Internet; the fluctuation in the growth rate is quite natural and can be influenced by numerous socioeconomic factors,” says Alexandre Barbosa, manager at CETIC.br.

Internet user profile
It is noted that the largest proportional growth of Internet users is among individuals with low education, especially the illiterate/early childhood education group, which increased from 9% in 2009 to 13% in 2010; 43% of respondents with primary education access the network, compared to 36% in 2009, representing a 19% growth.

Type of Internet connection
In this edition, a decrease in dial-up users is perceived, present in only 13% of urban households, and a proportional increase in fixed broadband connections, which are in 68% of households with Internet access in the urban areas of the country. The indicators also show a significant increase in mobile broadband connections, reflecting the expansion of new mobile technologies, mainly 3G technology.

A significant increase in fixed broadband connections was observed, especially in the country's rural areas: between 2009 and 2010, the proportion of households with broadband connections increased by nine percentage points. It is also noted that mobile broadband connections (such as 3G) grew both in urban and rural areas. In urban areas, this growth was 67% compared to 2009 and in rural areas, it was 63% compared to the previous edition.

Place of Internet access
In 2010, considerable growth in home Internet access was observed. Among the total urban Brazilian population, the growth was seven percentage points compared to 2009. “Work” (22%), “school” (14%), “other people’s houses” (27%), and “public centers of free Internet access (telecenters)” (4%) maintained the same levels as the previous edition.

Another quite significant result in 2010 was the decline in Internet use in lanhouses. In 2010, a significant decrease of 10 percentage points was observed in the total number of users accessing lanhouses compared to the 2009 edition for Total Brazil. Although this was the most significant drop in lanhouses participation since the ICT Households Survey began, they remain the second most utilized place by Brazilians to access the Internet. For a considerable portion of the low-income population, these represent an opportunity for civic participation and cultural, educational, and leisure transit through information and communication technologies.

Brazilians in the Era of Social Networks on the Internet
Regarding Brazilians who use social networks, considering participation in sites like Orkut and Facebook, the proportion of internet users engaging in this network activity is significant. The Northeast Region stands out, reaching a mark of 75% of internet users using social networks, followed by the South and Center-West regions with 70%, the North with 68%, and the Southeast with 67%.

Regarding age group, 82% of the youngest internet users, aged 16 to 24, participate in some social network, a considerable difference of 12 percentage points compared to internet users aged 25 to 34, in which 70% participate in social networks. Among the population of Internet users over the age of 65, 45% use social networks.

Barriers to Internet Connection
The barriers to Internet access in Brazilian households are associated with cost and infrastructure problems. Among households that own a computer but do not have Internet access, Total Brazil shows: 49% do not have Internet access due to the high cost of the service and 23% due to lack of availability in the area. The lack of interest (16%) and lack of skill (12%) are less frequently cited but relevant, as they reflect barriers not related to infrastructure but to the population's lack of technological appropriation.

Barriers to Web Usage
Among the difficulties encountered by citizens in using and navigating the Internet related to accessibility, the main ones are “accessing sites or pages takes too long/pages are too heavy” (37%), “I can't find the desired information on the site” (22%), difficulties related to “reading a long text” (14%) and “accessing pages with pop-up windows” (11%). “It's common for people to confuse the Internet with its graphical interface, the Web.”

The search for mobility: the use of ICTs all the time and anywhere
In 2010, a substantial growth in technologies that favor mobility was observed: the proportion of households with portable computers (notebooks) and mobile phones increased significantly.

The penetration of notebooks in Brazilian households with a computer grew by over 60%, moving from 14% in 2009 to 23% in 2010. Additionally, regarding portable computers, the growth occurs especially in urban areas and higher social classes. Rural areas remain stable compared to the previous measurement: only 15% of rural households have portable computers. On the other hand, there is a significant increase in the possession of portable computers across different social classes: while 70% of class A households with a computer own a notebook, this percentage is halved in classes C and DE.

Mobile phones saw significant growth, especially among economically disadvantaged social segments. The highest proportional increases in households with mobile phones occurred in rural areas – a growth of 10 percentage points compared to 2009; in the Northeast region – the total households with mobile phones increased from 63% in 2009 to 77%; and in class DE, where growth from 2009 to 2010 was 9 percentage points, growing from 54% in 2009 to 63% in 2010.

About the CETIC.br
The Center for Studies on Information and Communication Technologies (CETIC.br) is responsible for producing indicators and statistics on the availability and use of the Internet in Brazil, disseminating periodic analyses and information on the network's development in the country. More information at https://www.cetic.br/.

About the Brazilian Network Information Center – NIC.br
The Brazilian Network Information Center — NIC.br (https://www.nic.br/) is a non-profit civil entity that implements the decisions and projects of the Brazilian Internet Steering Committee. NIC.br's permanent activities include coordinating the domain name registration — Registro.br (https://www.registro.br/), studying, responding, and handling security incidents in Brazil - CERT.br (https://www.cert.br/), studying and researching network and operations technologies — CEPTRO.br (https://www.ceptro.br/), producing indicators on information and communication technologies — CETIC.br (https://www.cetic.br/) and hosting the W3C office in Brazil (https://www.w3c.br/).

About the Brazilian Internet Steering Committee — CGI.br
The Brazilian Internet Steering Committee coordinates and integrates all Internet service initiatives in the country, promoting technical quality, innovation, and the dissemination of offered services. More information at https://www.cgi.br/.

Press Contacts:
S2Publicom
https://www.s2publicom.com.br
Twitter / Flickr / YouTube: S2Publicom
Marcio Martins marcio.martins@s2publicom.com.br
Claudia Fuji claudia.fuji@s2publicom.com.br

Communications Advisory - NIC.br
Caroline D’Avo – Communication Advisor – caroline@nic.br
Everton Teles Rodrigues – Communication Assistant – everton@nic.br
Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/NICbr/
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/comuNICbr/