Number of Internet users in emerging markets to double by 2015: Boston Consulting
The number of people accessing Internet in emerging countries such as Brazil, Russia, China, India and Indonesia is set to double by 2015, said a report released on Wednesday by Boston Consulting Group (BCG).
Constituting 45 percent of the global population and contributing around 15 percent of the global gross domestic product (GDP), these countries (dubbed as BRICI by BCG) had 620 million Internet users in 2009, said the report.
The number is expected to reach 1.2 billion by 2015, growing at compound annual rates of 9 percent to 20 percent, said the report by the global management consulting firm.
Accessing the internet through home computers is not the common practise in these countries in contrast to developed nations like the US where people use PCs to get online.
"Personal computers are much less prevalent than mobile devices in the BRICI countries -- and play nowhere near the role in catalyzing digital consumption that mobile devices and Internet cafes do," the report said.
The number is expected to reach 1.2 billion by 2015, growing at compound annual rates of 9 percent to 20 percent, said the report by the global management consulting firm.
Accessing the internet through home computers is not the common practise in these countries in contrast to developed nations like the US where people use PCs to get online.
"Personal computers are much less prevalent than mobile devices in the BRICI countries -- and play nowhere near the role in catalyzing digital consumption that mobile devices and Internet cafes do," the report said.
Further, the number of Internet users will increase as the costs of mobile Internet access reduces and telecom operators expand their networks, it said.
China is set to retain its position of highest number of Internet users among these countries, with average time spent online increasing from 2.7 hours in 2009 to 3.1 hours in 2015 per day, said BCG.
Russia comes second in terms of time spent online with 1.7 hours on an average followed by Indonesia, Brazil and India 1.1 hours, 0.9 hours and 0.5 hours respectively.
Companies depending only on traditional sources to reach out to the consumers in the emerging markets should realize the effects of the changes in digital media, BCG said.
“The Internet is already having a fundamental impact on consumption patterns, and the patterns we’re seeing are significantly different from those in the United States and Japan,” said David Michael, head of BCG’s Global Advantage practice.
China is set to retain its position of highest number of Internet users among these countries, with average time spent online increasing from 2.7 hours in 2009 to 3.1 hours in 2015 per day, said BCG.
Russia comes second in terms of time spent online with 1.7 hours on an average followed by Indonesia, Brazil and India 1.1 hours, 0.9 hours and 0.5 hours respectively.
Companies depending only on traditional sources to reach out to the consumers in the emerging markets should realize the effects of the changes in digital media, BCG said.
“The Internet is already having a fundamental impact on consumption patterns, and the patterns we’re seeing are significantly different from those in the United States and Japan,” said David Michael, head of BCG’s Global Advantage practice.
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