Internet usage via mobile phone grows among Brazilians, reveals Cetic.br

TIC Domicílios 2014 Survey also reveals inequalities in home access and the most common activities performed by Brazilians on the Internet

The 10th edition of the TIC Domicílios Survey, released this Tuesday (15) by the Brazilian Internet Steering Committee (CGI.br), through the Regional Center for Studies on the Development of the Information Society (Cetic.br), part of the Brazilian Network Information Center (NIC.br), indicates an increase in the use of mobile phones to access the Internet. In Brazil, 47% of Brazilians aged 10 or older used the Internet via mobile devices in 2014, which represents 81.5 million people in absolute numbers.

Despite the rapid growth of Internet use via mobile phones across all social classes, the TIC Domicílios 2014 also points to the persistence of inequality in Internet access in the country, considering the lower rates observed in rural areas and in the North and Northeast regions. The study was conducted in more than 19,000 Brazilian households between October 2014 and March 2015, aiming to measure the use of information and communication technologies in households, individual access to computers and the Internet, activities conducted online, among other indicators.

Internet use via mobile phones

The TIC Domicílios 2014 reveals a significant increase in Internet use via mobile phones. The percentage of Brazilians aged 10 or older who accessed the web through mobile devices more than tripled in the last three years: in 2011, this proportion was 15%, reaching 47% in 2014.

The survey investigated, for the first time, the devices used by individuals to access the Internet, finding a preference for mobile phones (76%) — cited more than desktop computers (54%), laptops (46%), and tablets (22%). Furthermore, 84% of Internet users via mobile phones reported accessing it every day or almost every day.

Households adapted to mobility

The study shows stability in the proportion of households with a computer (50%). Portable devices (laptops and notebooks) recorded growth: 60% of homes with computers have laptops, while tablets are present in 33% of households. For the first time, the survey measured the availability of Wi-Fi networks in homes and found that 66% of homes with Internet access have this type of network.

“We observe a scenario where multiple technological devices coexist in the daily life of citizens, indicating a trend toward portability and mobility. This combination has implications for the activities and frequency of Internet use by citizens and possibly contributes to the devices being increasingly used individually,” analyzes Alexandre Barbosa, manager of Cetic.br.

Inequalities in home access

The proportion of households with Internet access in 2014 is 50%, corresponding to 32.3 million households in absolute numbers. Inequalities by social class and area persist: in class A, the proportion of homes with Internet access is 98%; in class B, 82%; in class C, 48%; and among classes D and E, 14%. In urban areas, the proportion of homes with Internet access is 54%, while in rural areas, it is 22%.

In 2014, residential connections made with mobile phones were incorporated into the concept of home Internet access, following international recommendations, which helps explain the seven percentage points growth in this indicator.

“Even with the growth of mobile Internet, Brazil still faces challenges in universalizing Internet access at home. The historical series of TIC Domicílios has shown the persistence of inequality in access, a fact that needs to be observed in its complexity by public managers to reverse this situation,” states Barbosa.

Activities performed by individuals on the Internet

The TIC Domicílios 2014 survey also shows that the percentage of Brazilians aged 10 or older who are Internet users reached 55%, which corresponds to 94.2 million users.

The most performed activity by Internet users in the three months prior to the survey is sending instant messages, like Facebook chat, Skype chat, or WhatsApp (83% of Internet users). The TIC Domicílios 2014 also highlights that participation in social networks is one of the most cited actions, with 76%. Watching movies or videos is common for 58% of Brazilian users.

To access the complete TIC Domicílios 2014 Survey as well as review surveys from previous years, visit https://cetic.br/. Compare the evolution of the indicators through the data visualization available at: https://data.cetic.br/cetic/explore?idPesquisa=TIC_DOM.

About Cetic.br

The Regional Center for Studies on the Development of the Information Society, part of NIC.br, is responsible for producing indicators and statistics on the availability and use of the Internet in Brazil, disseminating periodic analyses and information about network development in the country. Cetic.br is a Regional Study Center, under the auspices of UNESCO. 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 addressing security incidents in Brazil — CERT.br (https://www.cert.br/), studying and researching network and operations technologies — Ceptro.br (https://www.ceptro.br/), producing information and communication technology indicators — Cetic.br (https://www.cetic.br/), fostering and boosting the evolution of the Web in Brazil — Ceweb.br (https://www.ceweb.br/), and housing the office of the W3C in Brazil (https://www.w3c.br/).

About the Internet Steering Committee in Brazil – CGI.br

The Internet Steering Committee in Brazil, responsible for establishing strategic guidelines related to the use and development of the Internet in Brazil, coordinates and integrates all Internet service initiatives in the country, promoting technical quality, innovation, and the dissemination of services offered. Based on the principles of multistakeholderism and transparency, CGI.br represents a democratic Internet governance model, internationally praised, where all sectors of society participate equitably in its decisions. One of its formulations is the 10 Principles for Internet Governance and Use (https://www.cgi.br/principios). More information at https://www.cgi.br/.

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