Results of our studies

IN BRIEF

Searching for the information and social networking are two main reasons why most of Russians access the Internet through their mobile phones and smartphones.

MOSCOW, may 15, 2012. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the data describing why Russians access the Internet on their mobile phones and smartphones.

Most of Russian Internet users use mobile internet to search for information (65%).  This is followed by social networking (54%).  The shares of those who use the internet to get access to the electronic mailbox (31%), follow the news (27%), listen to the music, watch movies or read books (20%) are also big.

The number of those who use the internet on mobile phones to communicate via instant messaging such as skype, icq et cet. (10%), or to play (9%) is lower.

Rarer Russians use geo services (4%), visit websites with content other than the news (3%), downloading   software programs (2%), or buying online (1%).

Young Russians use the mobile internet for social networking (73%). Respondents aged 18-24 often get access to their electronic mailboxes via mobile phones  (36%), listen to the music, watch the movies and read books  (32%), and communicate via instant messaging  (13%). On the contrary, elderly respondents use the Internet on mobile phones to find information (78%).

Men more often than women use mobile phones or smartphones to follow the news (31%), or to play (12%). At the same time, women often use the mobile internet for social networking (57%).  

The initiative Russian opinion polls were conducted on March 31- April 1, 2012. 1600 respondents were interviewed at 138 sampling points in 46 regions of Russia. The margin of error does not exceed 3.4%.


Why do you use the internet on your mobile phone?
(close-ended question, not more than four answers,

% of those who use the Internet on mobile phones and smartphones)

 

Total respondents

Aged 18-24

Aged 25-34

Aged 35-44

Aged 45-59

Aged 60 and above

To find information

65

68

59

69

66

78

Social networking

54

73

50

46

34

33

To use e-mail

31

36

33

26

29

11

To follow news, world events   

27

25

23

27

36

33

To listen to the music, to watch movies, to read books  

20

32

15

15

14

0

Instant messaging (icq, skype)

10

13

11

8

9

 0

To play  

9

10

9

12

7

 0

To use geo services (maps, navigators)

4

5

4

1

5

 0

To visit information websites (with content other than the news)

3

3

4

4

4

 0

To download software programs

2

4

2

 0

 0

 0

Online shopping

1

 0

2

 0

2

 0

Visit websites with erotic content  

0

 0

1

 0

0

 0

Other

2

1

4

1

2

11

Hard to tell

6

2

9

6

9

11


Why do you use the internet on your mobile phone?
 
(close-ended question, not more than four answers,

% of those who use the Internet on mobile phones and smartphones)

 

Total respondents

Men

Women

To find information

65

65

66

Social networking

54

51

57

To use e-mail

31

32

31

To follow news, world events   

27

31

21

To listen to the music, to watch movies, to read books  

20

21

19

Instant messaging (icq, skype)

10

10

11

To play  

9

12

7

To use geo services (maps, navigators)

4

4

3

To visit information websites (with content other than the news)

3

3

4

To download software programs

2

3

1

Online shopping

1

1

1

Visit websites with erotic content  

0

0

Other

2

1

3

Hard to tell

6

6

6

Note: Using materials from the site www.wciom.ru or wciom.com, as well as distributed by VCIOM, the reference to the source (or hyperlink for the electronic media) is obligatory!

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