Rural India Logs In For Entertainment, Urban India For Communications: Internet In India Report

Entertainment is the primary driver of Internet use in rural India while communications is the key factor for users in urban India, according to the preliminary findings of a report jointly published by Internet and Mobile Association of India and research firm IMRB.

Out of an extrapolated sample of 7.8 million rural users 49 per cent or just about half of them used Internet to download music, videos and photos; 38 per cent used it for email and chats while 27 per cent or just about quarter of them used it for education, as per the Internet in India Report.

In contrast, in urban India, the pattern of use was dramatically different. While email or communications continued to be the most popular use of Internet, social networking seemed to be catching up rather fast.

Around 71 per cent or close to three out of four Internet users in urban India of an extrapolated sample of 28 million users indulged in social networking and 89 per cent used emails. Education purpose usage was also high with almost two thirds of urban India using the Internet for educational purposes.

Subho Ray, president – IAMAI said, "The numbers make two things very clear, the depth of use is very poor in rural India and the industry would do well to devise different content and applications for rural and urban India." Established in 2004, IAMAI has represents the online and mobile VAS industry in India.