India to have 121 million internet users by the end of the year, suggests IAMAI reports

The annual I-Cube Report jointly published by Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) and IMRB, India suggests that is all set to have 121 million internet users by December 2011. Out of 121 million, 97 million would be active Internet users who access Internet at least once in a month. Of the 121 million users who claimed to have used Internet in the past, there will be 92 million Internet users from the urban cities of the country and 29 million from rural areas. Of the 97 million active Internet users, 73 million will be from urban cities and the rest 24 million from rural villages, indicates the report.

100 million internet users mark is considered a critical milestone for the country. With this internet use in India is expected to enter a critical period of growth with the possibility of becoming the largest internet using country in the world in this decade. The report also found that of the active internet users 48% used internet at least 4-6 times a week and 28% per cent used it daily.

The report jointly put together by IAMAI and IMRB hints that there has been a dramatic fall in access from cyber cafes. Access from home is not the dominant mode of access at 37%. This category has grown at the cost of both access from cyber cafes and access from offices. One of the most important findings of the report has been the ratio of connections to number of users. Common Service Centers (CSC) and Cyber Cafes have a hands down lead here with 148.

The Internet and Mobile Association of India [IAMAI] is an association representing the entire gamut of digital businesses in India. It was established in 2004 by the leading online publishers, but in the last seven years has come to effectively address the challenges facing the digital and online industry including mobile content and services, online publishing, mobile advertising, online advertising, ecommerce and mobile & digital payments among others. The association is still the only professional industry body representing the online and mobile VAS industry in India.