40 pc mobile net users cut newspaper, TV time by half: ViziSense study

Findings from Mobile Internet behavior and usage study conducted by ViziSense reveals that 2 of the estimated 4.8 crore mobile internet users have shifted 50 per cent of their newspaper and TV time to their mobile screens.

Commenting on the findings of the survey, Amit Bhartiya, vice president and general manager, ViziSense, said, “55 per cent of all daily mobile internet users hail from outside the top eight metros. Whilst limited access to branded products was the reason that these regions saw early adoption of e-commerce, errant electricity is one of the reasons why mobile internet is majorly scoring for users from these cities while reducing their dependence on TV as a medium especially for news and entertainment. The survey establishes two major trends; the shift in screens is for real and that English print is migrating to mobile phones through WAP sites and applications, especially around lifestyle, travel and sports content.”

The study also revealed that of all mobile internet users in India (estimated at 4.8 crores by IAMAI in its August 2011 Mobile Internet in India report), 87 per cent are online on mobile every day. Almost half of these users go online through their cellphones every 2 to 3 hours and the duration of these visits is more than an hour. Almost 60 per cent of these users have been on this medium for over a year.

Access to e-mail (99 per cent) and social media (95 per cent) are the primary drivers of mobile internet, and the consumption of content is starting to shift in favour of the mobiles and tablets. News, games and entertainment, travel, education and search categories have shown frequent or daily consumption.

These users are also easing into mobile e-commerce with almost 80 per cent having performed some form of financial transaction through their mobile phone - payment of utility bills, purchase of products and services, etc. The study finds that 28 per cent of mobile internet users have even used ‘mobile money’. The survey also revealed that 14 per cent of these users already possessed a tablet while another 60 per cent planned to buy one soon. Of this lot aspiring to buy a tablet, 55 per cent were from outside the top eight metros.

The survey also tracked usage by the 18 per cent women subset within the group of mobile internet users. What stood out is that women outscore men when it comes to accessing books or education, entertainment and travel-related content through their cellphones.

The study was conducted an online survey conducted with ViziSense India online panelists (Internet users with mobile phones), recording responses from 2,024 users.