Asians now favor an “always-on” life and consumes double the mobile data they did pre-pandemic.
To top it all, digital adoption in the region continues to surge, despite major privacy and security concerns, because people feel it empowers them with more economic opportunity, daily convenience and greater access to essential services.
Significantly, three out of four in 8,227 mobile internet users over 18 years old in the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and Bangladesh, expect mobile usage to increase.
This was the result of Telenor Asia's July 2022 study, “Digital Lives Decoded”, released Monday, September 5, in conjunction with the company's 25th anniversary in the region.
Global telecommunications firm Telenor serves 172 million customers in the Nordics and Asia todate.
Although nearly all - 93 percent of its study's respondents - were concerned about privacy and security, three in four are optimistic about the potential of mobile connectivity to help them to lead more sustainable lives.
A total of nine in 10 believe mobile connectivity improves financial, healthcare and education access.
People in the Philippines and Thailand are most dependent on their mobile phones, according to the Telenor study.
A total of 29 percent of Filipinos and 25 percent of Thais say they are never without their mobile phones.
This dependence is set to grow, with nearly three in four people (74 percent) expecting their mobile usage to increase in the coming years, a trend greatest among respondents in Thailand (82 percent).
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Furthermore, 93 percent of respondents believe that their mobile usage improves quality of life.
Overall, women lead this trend with 64 percent, saying their quality of life is significantly enhanced compared to 52 percent of men.
This trend is most apparent in Thailand (76 percent) and Indonesia (74 percent), where the highest number of women are connecting to “significantly better” lives through their mobile use.
“It is often reported that mobile usage comes between people, distracting users from those around them and damaging relationships and interpersonal communication skills," says Jørgen Rostrup, Head of Telenor Asia.
"However, this study dispels that notion. Compared to before the pandemic, mobile data usage has more than doubled in most Asian markets, reshaping how we communicate at work and at home," he pointed out.
Interestingly, this survey shows that people want the changes in digital use and their daily lives to stay. "In fact, they continue to immerse themselves in a digital world despite rules on travel and social interaction being relaxed,” Rostrup underscored.
As connectivity puts power into the hands of people, this study also revealed where digital gaps remain, particularly in rural and elderly populations.
With mobile connectivity evolving from a nice-to-have to a must-have, the need to understand these gaps is becoming more important to policymakers, businesses, and individuals alike.
"Insights from this study can act as a map to bridge the widest digital divides,” he added.
Nearly all consumers surveyed have their mobile device with them for at least half of the day, and one in five are never without their phone.
Yet, the majority of respondents surveyed feel they strike a good balance on their use of technology (76 percent).
Generational differences in how people feel about the surge in time spent online are apparent, however.
The study evenly split up respondents by gender, ranging in age from 18 years and older, and crossing four generations: Gen Z (Born 1997 – 2012); Millennials (Born 1981 – 1996); Gen X (Born 1965 – 1980); and Baby Boomers (Born 1946 – 1964).
Gen Z respondents, the youngest surveyed, are more likely to feel that they are overusing technology.
Along with their millennial counterparts, Gen Z respondents were also the most concerned about having the right skills to keep pace with technology.
This was a concern shared across generations, with 85 percent of respondents worried that their digital skills will not keep pace with a rapidly evolving digital environment.
Concerns around privacy and security of mobile devices surfaced for 93 percent of respondents across the region, amid a well-recognised surge in digital adoption.
Of those who reduced their mobile usage in the past year, one in three Gen Z respondents in Malaysia cited privacy and security concerns as the top reason for the decrease.
Conversely, people in Thailand were least concerned, with nearly a quarter of respondents not concerned about this at all.
The study also reveals optimism about the potential for mobile technology to advance environmental sustainability.
Three-quarters of those surveyed believe that digital access is “very important” for them to lead greener lives in the future. Interestingly, there were also differences across markets with lowest in Thailand (63 percent), Malaysia (57 percent)) and Singapore (41percent).
People cited the greatest benefits come in the areas of reducing paper, waste, and electricity (70 percent of respondents), being able to communicate more efficiently (67 percent) and providing better access to public transport with more information (55 percent).
However, this does not take into consideration that surging data use will require greater energy consumption.
The study also points to the greater potential women see in mobile usage, with more women than men saying mobile connectivity has enhanced their options for working and generating income and gave them better access to information and education opportunities.
Interestingly, Singapore is the only country where this trend is reversed, with more males (54 percent) than females (49 percent) finding that mobile usage improves their lives significantly.
Respondents also recognize how mobile connectivity is inclusive, giving people greater access to essential services which enrich their daily lives, such as education (88 percent) and healthcare services (88 percent).
However, it is around financial inclusion where mobile usage is really levelling the playing field.
A total of 92 percent of respondents say mobile usage has increased their access to financial services while more than half (57 percent) believe their access to financial services has “significantly improved”.
It is also worth noting the disparity between responses of those living in cities (60 percent) and rural areas (50 percent), which highlights the ongoing need to broaden the reach of these services to those outside urban areas.
“As mobile connectivity becomes even more fundamental to our daily lives, lacking the right skills and awareness, including to navigate safety and privacy issues, or being off the grid can severely restrict access to education, healthcare, economic and employment opportunities," Rostrup warned.
"We need to better understand digital gaps, and how to bridge them, as well as the carbon footprint of our online habits, as we work together to create a future where mobile connectivity is empowering and sustainable for all,” he concluded.