Online population set to grow

The global online population is set to grow significantly in the next four years, according to new findings from JupiterResearch.

According to the study, 22 per cent of people will be online by 2011, with the web using population growing from 1.1 billion in 2006 to 1.6 billion five years later, eMarketer reports.

Some countries have already matured in terms of online accessibility, such as the UK and western Europe, the US, Canada. And in the east, Japan. China, India, Russia and Brazil are countries that the report expects to be responsible for most of the estimated growth.

Speaking to the news source, Vikram Sehgal of JupiterResearch commented: "In [China and India], increased infrastructure development and relatively higher purchasing power from rapid growth of gross domestic product will coincide with increased consumer adoption."

Senior analyst at eMarketer Ben Macklin commented: "Gauging an accurate measure of an Internet audience is still an inexact science."

Each country defines an internet user differently in terms of age and online accessibility, he explained.

Interestingly, the US is likely to see the proportion of internet users reduce in size from 21 per cent in 2006 to 17 per cent in 2011.

KPMG recently highlighted a potential digital bubble that could burst in the current economic conditions. Converging media and communications are providing investment opportunities based on speculation as opposed to economic stability, report author Tudor Aw stated.

© Adfero Ltd

1 Aug 2007 14:57:08 (Source: Adfero)