India has about 52 per cent of consumers who spend the least amount of time on the Internet even as 56 per cent of them say it's easier to find products and services online than through friends and family, a study by Swedish telecom gearmaker Ericsson said. According to a study by Ericsson ConsumerLab, 52 per cent are in the un-networked group, one that carves out the least number of hours for the Internet. Only one in five of the un-networked group uses the Net, and they do so quite infrequently (less than weekly), the study pointed out. Globally, the un-networked group comprises 18 per cent of consumers. The group includes more females than males with a high representation of 40-59-year olds. The number of devices owned is the lowest, with an average of only a single device, the study said. However, 56 per cent of the un-networked group in India said it is a much easier job to find products and services on the Internet than through friends and family. Globally, 82 per cent of consumers are moving towards a networked lifestyle, with Netizens leading the way, the study said. In India, percentage of Netizens stood at 48 per cent. The data, Ericsson said, has been gathered through 45,290 face-to-face and online interviews with users aged 15-69 years, representing 1.2 billion people across 24 countries including Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Norway, Sweden, the UK and the US. The study examines varying perceptions of a networked lifestyle among consumers at the opposite end of the spectrum: Netizens who own on average at least three connected devices, use the Internet for at least one hour a day and rely on around seven digital services daily. In contrast, un-networked consumers own on average one device and use the Internet no more than once a week, if at all. The study said that based on research in 24 countries, about 43 per cent believe that development and a wider use of technology have helped in creating high-quality products and services in their country. "Forty-one per cent state that technology has helped them reach out to more people in the world and understand global developments, making geographical boundaries irrelevant. Around 31 per cent mention that their buying habits have changed a lot over the past 5 years, with most purchases carried out online," it added.
