82% of Canadians Now Have Internet Access At Home
October 27, 2009 Calgary, AB – A new study released by Ipsos Reid examining Online Trends and Activities has found that over eight in ten Canadians (82%) now have Internet access at home. This represents a 6% point increase from Q2, 2008 and a 4% point increase from Q4, 2008.
�Even in difficult economic times, Canadians understand that having Internet access is essential in today�s society,� notes study author Mark Laver, Associate Vice President with Ipsos Reid. �Internet access is critical to finding employment, it can be used to save money, for paying bills, finding deals, and as a form of entertainment. It has become so important to the lives of Canadians, that in some areas of the country, Internet access is almost identical to home telephone access.�
The study found that access at home is almost universal for those under 55 years of age as 89% of those aged 18 to 34 and 87% of those aged 35 to 54 have Internet access at home. In comparison, only 69% of those aged 55+ have access at home.
Laver continues, �The older generation is the fastest growing segment of online users, quickly catching up to the younger generations in their adoption of the Internet. By comparison, in Q1, 2006 only one-half (57%) of those aged 55+ had Internet access.�
Dial-up access is in the last stages of use as only 8% of Internet-enabled Canadians access the Internet through this method, while about eight in ten are using some form of high speed access. Interestingly, there has also been a rise in the last 18 months of an �other� category � widely suspected to be Mobile Broadband Sticks, Netbooks and Smartphone users.
�Internet Service Providers have done an excellent job of moving consumers up the value chain into higher speed offerings,� concludes Laver. �However, I also think that we are beginning to see the newest wave of access through mobile devices. This could be the next big growth phase for the Internet.�
This release is based on the findings of an Ipsos Reid syndicated study, the Inter@ctive Reid Report. For the survey, a representative randomly selected sample of 1,002 adult Canadians was interviewed by telephone from July 6-10, 2009. With a sample of this size, the results are considered accurate to within � 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what they would have been had the entire adult population of Canada been polled. The margin of error will be larger within regions and for other sub-groupings of the survey population. These data were weighted to ensure that the sample’s regional and age/sex composition reflects that of the actual Canadian population according to Census data.
About Ipsos Reid
Ipsos Reid is Canada’s market intelligence leader, the country’s leading provider of public opinion research, and research partner for loyalty and forecasting and modelling insights. With operations in eight cities, Ipsos Reid employs more than 600 research professionals and support staff in Canada. The company has the biggest network of telephone call centres in the country, as well as the largest pre-recruited household and online panels. Ipsos Reid’s marketing research and public affairs practices offer the premier suite of research vehicles in Canada, all of which provide clients with actionable and relevant information. Staffed with seasoned research consultants with extensive industry-specific backgrounds, Ipsos Reid offers syndicated information or custom solutions across key sectors of the Canadian economy, including consumer packaged goods, financial services, automotive, retail, and technology & telecommunications. Ipsos Reid is an Ipsos company, a leading global survey-based market research group.
To learn more, please visit www.ipsos.ca.
About Ipsos
Ipsos is a leading global survey-based market research company, owned and managed by research professionals. Ipsos helps interpret, simulate, and anticipate the needs and responses of consumers, customers, and citizens around the world.
Member companies assess market potential and interpret market trends. They develop and build brands. They help clients build long-term relationships with their customers. They test advertising and study audience responses to various media. They measure public opinion around the globe. Ipsos member companies offer expertise in advertising, customer loyalty, marketing, media, and public affairs research, as well as forecasting, modeling, and consulting. Ipsos has a full line of custom, syndicated, omnibus, panel, and online research products and services, guided by industry experts and bolstered by advanced analytics and methodologies. The company was founded in 1975 and has been publicly traded since 1999. In 2008, Ipsos generated global revenues of �979.3 million.
Visit www.ipsos.com to learn more about Ipsos offerings and capabilities.
