Broadband Internet Access Grows Again in Brazilian Households

TIC Households 2017 Survey by Cetic.br also indicates that half of connected individuals access the Internet exclusively via mobile phones

Internet access in households grew again in Brazil, totaling 42.1 million connected homes in 2017 (61% of residences). In urban areas, this proportion is 65%, corresponding to 38.8 million connected households. Data from the TIC Households 2017 survey released on Tuesday (24) by the Brazilian Internet Steering Committee (CGI.br) through the Regional Center for Studies on the Development of the Information Society (Cetic.br) of the Brazilian Network Information Center (NIC.br).

The study also highlights persistent inequalities based on socioeconomic class and between urban and rural areas: Internet access is present in 30% of D/E class households (up from 23% in 2016) and 34% of rural residences (up from 26% in 2016). In contrast, classes A and B reached proportions of 99% and 93%, respectively. Additionally, 19% of connected households do not have a computer, which equals 13.4 million residences. This proportion was only 4% in 2014.

According to the study, the cost of connection remains the main reason cited for the absence of Internet at home: 27% of respondents say the service is expensive. “The data reveals that investment in infrastructure and public policies enabling all Brazilians to access the Internet at home is increasingly essential, regardless of social class or geographical region,” points out Alexandre Barbosa, manager at Cetic.br.

Regarding the main type of connection, TIC Households 2017 recorded stability compared to the previous year, whether through fixed broadband (64%) or mobile 3G or 4G (25%). However, mobile access continues to be more utilized than fixed in D/E class households (48%).

Internet Users

The proportion of Internet users in Brazil increased by six percentage points, jumping from 61% in 2016 to 67% in 2017. In absolute numbers, 120.7 million Brazilians access the network, with the proportion reaching 71% in urban areas. According to the survey, 87% use the Internet every day or almost every day. Regarding the device for individual access, the survey shows a preference for mobile phones, used by nearly all users (96%). Also noted is the growth in television usage, with 22% of users utilizing it to connect to the Internet. This proportion was 7% in 2014.

The most mentioned online activities remain sending messages (90%) and using social networks (77%), yet the access to audiovisual content has increased in recent years. The proportion of Internet users who watched online videos or listened to music was 71% in 2017, representing 85 million people. The survey also investigated among Internet users aged 16 and over concerning the use of electronic government services. The most cited services were worker rights and social security (28%) and public education (28%).

Device used to access the Internet

The TIC Households 2017 survey shows that half of the connected population accesses the Internet solely via mobile phone, representing 58.7 million Brazilians. For the first time in the historical series, the study reveals that the proportion of users accessing the network only by phone (49%) surpassed those combining phone and computer (47%).

The profile of exclusive phone use is more common among D/E class users (80%) and in rural areas (72%). This reflects a reality where low-income citizens do not have multiple Internet access devices as seen in classes A and B. This profile is also higher among women (53%) compared to men (45%).

"In Brazil, 33 million users with a monthly income of up to two minimum wages use the Internet exclusively via mobile phones, while simultaneous use including a computer was done by 88% of class A users. The socioeconomic factor is predominant. Those with the choice combine the use of multiple devices to access the network, something crucial for developing digital skills, especially in the scenario of the new digital economy," notes Barbosa.

In its 13th edition, TIC Households conducted interviews in more than 23,000 households across the national territory between November 2017 and May 2018 to measure the use of information and communication technologies at home, individual access to computers and the Internet, online activities, among other indicators.

To access the full TIC Households 2017, as well as review the historical series, visit https://cetic.br/. Compare the evolution of indicators from the data visualization available at: https://data.cetic.br/cetic/explore?idPesquisa=TIC_DOM.

About Cetic.br

The Regional Center for Studies on the Development of the Information Society, part of NIC.br, is responsible for producing indicators and statistics on Internet availability and use in Brazil, periodically releasing analyses and information regarding the development of the network in the country. Cetic.br is a Regional Study Center, under the auspices of UNESCO. More information at https://www.cetic.br/.

About the Brazilian Network Information Center – NIC.br

The Brazilian Network Information Center — NIC.br (https://www.nic.br/) is a civil, private, non-profit entity, which, besides implementing the decisions and projects of the Brazilian Internet Steering Committee, has among its duties: coordinating domain name registration — Registro.br (https://www.registro.br/), studying, responding and dealing with security incidents in Brazil — CERT.br (https://www.cert.br/), studying and researching network technologies and operations — Ceptro.br (https://www.ceptro.br/), producing indicators on information and communication technologies — Cetic.br (https://www.cetic.br/), implementing and operating Traffic Exchange Points — IX.br (https://ix.br/), enabling the participation of the Brazilian community in global Web development and supporting public policy formulation — Ceweb.br (https://www.ceweb.br), and hosting the W3C office in Brazil (https://www.w3c.br/).

About the Brazilian Internet Steering Committee – CGI.br

The Brazilian Internet Steering Committee, responsible for establishing strategic guidelines regarding the use and development of the Internet in Brazil, coordinates and integrates all Internet service initiatives in the country, promoting technical quality, innovation, and dissemination of the services offered. Based on principles of multistakeholderism and transparency, CGI.br represents a democratic Internet governance model, praised internationally, where all sectors of society participate equally in its decisions. One of its formulations is the 10 Principles for Internet Governance and Use (https://www.cgi.br/principios). More information at https://www.cgi.br/.

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