Consumers' Desire to Log on to the Internet on-the-Go Anytime, Anywhere IS on the Rise in Qatar, A New Report Reveals

Doha, May 25 (QNA) - A research report released today by the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology reveals that all segments of Qatars population have access to Internet-enabled ICT devices particularly mobile phones with newer devices such as smartphones and tablets yet to fully penetrate. The report, Qatars ICT Landscape 2014: Households and Individuals, is based on a large-scale study of ICT access and the usage behaviors and patterns of residents in Qatar and, also shows that the use of basic online services such as email, Internet browsing, social networking, and peer-to-peer file sharing is prevalent across all segments of society. However, advanced online services such as e-commerce, online banking, and transactional e-government services are employed much more frequently among people with higher levels of education, as well as among Qataris and Westerners. These and other themes emerged from the research. More specifically: Moving from access to advanced services. There has been an ongoing transition from general access to ICT devices and technologies to the use of advanced online services. Use of portable devices such as laptops, tablet computers, and smartphones among the overall population has increased, with mobile phones now used by nearly 100 percent of the population, while smartphone penetration stands at 65 percent; the penetration of laptops also increased from 83 percent in 2012 to 93 percent in 2013 and the penetration of tablets tripled over the same time period to 29 percent in 2013. Fifty-two percent of Qataris connected to the Internet using a tablet computer in 2013, compared to just 32 percent in 2012. On the other hand, ICT usage is currently focused on basic services, with nearly 100 percent of the overall population using mobile phones for telephone calls and SMS. Eighty-three percent of people use the Internet for email services, and 93 percent of those using the Internet logs on to various social networking platforms. However, only 18 percent of the overall population in Qatar uses Internet banking, with 15 percent using the Internet for e-commerce. Thus, while broad ICT access has almost been achieved in Qatar, there is still much room for improvement when it comes to the sort of advanced usage that will drive future innovation and economic success. Connectivity on-the-go, anytime, anywhere. Qatar is in line with the global trend of people demanding more mobility in their connectivity options, particularly with the increased penetration of mobile phones and laptops. Eighty-five percent of the Internet users in Qatar use a laptop and 71 percent a smartphone to get online. For laptop use, the preferred mode of connection is wireless LAN because of the convenience. With the increase in smartphone and tablets penetration, the demand for mobile broadband has also risen. Among households connected to the Internet, mobile broadband penetration now stands at 61 percent, compared with fixed broadband connectivity at 94 percent. Consumers in Qatar increasingly need and want the ability to log on to the Internet "anytime, anywhere." The governments focus on implementing next-generation broadband technology is addressing this issue. Internet is for everyone. Data from the households and individuals survey clearly show that people across the education spectrum access social networking, VoIP, and other basic Internet services. Social networking was, in fact, used by almost 93 percent of respondents who are active online. Still, the research shows that as education levels increase, there is a shift toward using advanced online services, with 22 percent of respondents whose education is above the secondary level using e-commerce in the past 12 months, compared with just 6.2 percent of those with secondary education or less. In addition, improvement in education level corresponds to a reduction in concerns about online security and threats. "This new research not only shows that our current programs and policies have been working, it also offers a roadmap for where we need to go to address the lagging indicators as well as insight into what we must do to get there," said HE Minister of Information and Communications Technology Dr. Hessa Al-Jaber. "No matter what it takes, we remain 100 percent committed to advancing the digital agenda in Qatar," she added. The study, consisted of both qualitative and quantitative research, including 11 focus groups, in-depth interviews and a survey of 2,207 residents across genders, ages, nationalities, and municipalities. Overall, 60 percent of Qataris are satisfied with their mobile phone service. Satisfaction rates for both fixed broadband and mobile phone services have increased over time and across all segments and nationalities, "customer support" and "ease of changes to account on your own" are the areas of least satisfaction among residents of Qatar, according to the survey. For the purposes of the households and individuals survey, six areas of interest were identified for more in-depth study: social networking, e-commerce, e-government, online postal services offered by national provider Q-Post, online privacy and security, and new online services. The survey results captured the main trends in these focus areas: 87 percent of Internet users access social networking at least once a month in Qatar, an increase over prior years. Penetration levels in advanced services such as online banking and e-commerce are low, especially among non-Westerners, with 44 percent of those who did not use such services in the past year reporting that they are concerned about the security of online portals, 26 percent worried about having "no control," and 31 percent believing the process is too technical. In terms of e-government, the findings show that 55 percent of the overall population is aware of online services, although only 16 percent used them in the past year. Qualitative findings suggest that interaction with the government could be handled more effectively face-to-face rather than online. 88% of the population has not used Q-Post services in the past year. Of those who are not aware of Q-Post online services, nearly half report they are not interested in knowing more about them, as they are happy using global private courier services such as DHL and Aramex. There is a general lack of awareness and willingness to learn about Q-Posts online services. Providing relevant and value-added services that benefit consumers will encourage people in Qatar to move toward the use of Q-Posts online offerings. 38 percent of Internet users are concerned about the lack of privacy online, while 30 percent are concerned about using services such as online banking. A growing interest in all mobile-based services emerged from the survey 72 percent of young Qataris reported an interest in mobile wallet and 69 percent are interested in money transfer via mobile phone, providing an opportunity for the development of additional advanced online services. In addition, the households and individuals study identified lack of advanced ICT skills and knowledge among the population. The digital literacy and IT skills programs that are currently being implemented by the Ministry should go a long way toward mitigating this problem. (QNA)