The report explored the differences between how people use mobile internet connectivity in their day-to-day lives at work and home, and what they hope to gain from their connected devices in the future.
“The Juniper Network’s Global Bandwidth Index found that mobile connectivity has had a profound impact on how people communicate, work, learn and play around the world,” said Mike Marcellin, SVP of strategy and marketing at Juniper Networks.
“It also suggests that this transformation will continue as new technologies emerge, network speeds increase and hundreds of millions of people who aren’t yet connected to the internet gain access. The report reveals an opportunity for service providers to continue to deliver new, life-changing services in areas like education, particularly in emerging markets where there is a great demand.”
40% of respondents in emerging markets said that connectivity has improved their earning power, compared to 17% in more developed markets. A further 60% of emerging market respondents said that connectivity has transformed their social lives, compared to 30% in developed markets.
“Despite these connectivity challenges, the Global Bandwidth Index data shows that consumers in emerging markets are still significantly more satisfied with their networks than their counterparts in developed countries,” Marcellin added.
“The transformative impact of connectivity on peoples’ lives in the developing world is much stronger than the feeling that networks should be faster and more reliable. Meanwhile, in developed countries, high bandwidth connectivity is so commonplace that people are much more sensitive to interruptions in service.”
Of UK respondents, for example, only 15.2% were totally satisfied with their existing connectivity, with a further 40% only somewhat satisfied.
