South Africa Internet Useage

According to an article in The Times South Africa, South Africans using the Internet has significantly risen because of the impact of smartphones and mobile phones.

It is projected to increase to more than 10 million people by the end of 2012.

This still only represents 20% penetration as the mass market embracies digital tools on their phones.

Around 7.9 million South Africans accessed the Internet via their cellphones, but 2.48 million did not have access to computers. About six million people received the Internet through computers, laptops, and tablet computers. Most (90%) also used their cellphones.

In the near future coming years, all services offered online will also have to be offered on cellphones to compete.

With smartphones being the salient driver of Internet usage growth, data costs were also being driven down by the increasing number of undersea cables connecting sub-Saharan Africa to the rest of the world.

Undersea cable capacity to South Africa at the end of 2011 was 2.69 Terabits a second (Tbps), and would rise to 11.9 Tbps by the end of 2012. This capacity will double again in 2013.

This should result in falling data prices, which would in turn further increase demand.