As of September 2008, India has 45.3 million active internet users (i.e. have used the internet at least once in the last one month), though the total number of claimed Internet users stands at 57 million.
Growth of Internet User Base
Internet User Base in India
Utility of Internet
It’s surprising that 47.5% of Claimed Internet users do not know how Internet can be a useful tool. Other barriers to usage includes:
- Cost of access – cyber cafe charges are high (11.7%)
- Lack of access points – no good cafe nearby (8.9%)
- Dial-up costs are too high (5.5%)
- Need guidance (5.2%) – IAMAI
Barriers to Internet Usage in India
Lack of local language content also plays a significant role in(not) building up the utility of Internet, especially for the common mass.
Infact, the whole discussion goes back to one point – what is that one single most utility that will accelerate the penetration of Internet in India?
Isn’t Internet penetration a function of PC adoption? Will mobile Internet change the numbers?
Share your opinion.
check out oo-ha.com or just google for ooha services… in fact they presented the ideas at proto.in last week. It is a very interesting concept and also at the same time is generating revenues
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One of the biggest concern is there are not many websites in vernacular languages that are widely spoken in India.