Popularly quoted figure of 28% is not accurate; here’s why
Go digital or else. Since demonetisation, the government has been sending out this stern message to citizens who are still wedded to cash transactions.
But to go digital, a key prerequisite is access to the Internet. How many Indians have it?
Official statistics suggest that the number is as high as 28% of the population.
But as with most statistics, digging deeper reveals that this estimate could be wide off the mark.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s quarterly Performance Indicators Report is the most authoritative source for assessing the march of the Internet in India.
The latest report tells us that India had 36.74 crore (367.48 million) Internet subscribers in September 2016. Based on a population count of 127.7 crore, it translates this into 28.77 Internet subscribers per 100 population.
This is the ‘Internet penetration’ number that often gets cited in articles on digital India. But that’s a wrong interpretation of these statistics.
Double Counting : 4 to 5 Connections per family via Broadband & Mobile etc.
Digital divide : The Internet connections that India does have, are pretty unevenly distributed too.
TRAI data recognises that while urban India has 61.9 Internet subscriptions per 100 people, rural India gets by with just 13.7.
Solution : Clearly, for India’s digital divide to be bridged, network infrastructure outside the cities needs to be significantly beefed up. The government is on the job, with the ambitious Bharatnet project to digitally connect 2.5 lakh Gram Panchayats.
Affordability : But for India to truly go digital, phone makers and cellular operators will also need to shift focus from their lucrative Wifi, iPhone and 4G customers, to users who can barely afford ₹30 a month. Will they do it?
How many Indians have Internet? - The Hindu
Go digital or else. Since demonetisation, the government has been sending out this stern message to citizens who are still wedded to cash transactions.
But to go digital, a key prerequisite is access to the Internet. How many Indians have it?
Official statistics suggest that the number is as high as 28% of the population.
But as with most statistics, digging deeper reveals that this estimate could be wide off the mark.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s quarterly Performance Indicators Report is the most authoritative source for assessing the march of the Internet in India.
The latest report tells us that India had 36.74 crore (367.48 million) Internet subscribers in September 2016. Based on a population count of 127.7 crore, it translates this into 28.77 Internet subscribers per 100 population.
This is the ‘Internet penetration’ number that often gets cited in articles on digital India. But that’s a wrong interpretation of these statistics.
Double Counting : 4 to 5 Connections per family via Broadband & Mobile etc.
Digital divide : The Internet connections that India does have, are pretty unevenly distributed too.
TRAI data recognises that while urban India has 61.9 Internet subscriptions per 100 people, rural India gets by with just 13.7.
Solution : Clearly, for India’s digital divide to be bridged, network infrastructure outside the cities needs to be significantly beefed up. The government is on the job, with the ambitious Bharatnet project to digitally connect 2.5 lakh Gram Panchayats.
Affordability : But for India to truly go digital, phone makers and cellular operators will also need to shift focus from their lucrative Wifi, iPhone and 4G customers, to users who can barely afford ₹30 a month. Will they do it?
How many Indians have Internet? - The Hindu
