90% of consumers are connecting more to virtual world during coronavirus: EY – Livemint

Posted: June 15, 2020 at 6:48 pm


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NEW DELHI : At northward of 11GB per user per month, India has witnessed a 30% spike in Internet data usage amid the crornavirus pandemic which has pushed data consumption 2-3 years into the future, says a new surve by professional services firm Ernst & Young.

A survey titled Digital Consumer Survey: Shaping the new normal, analyzes views of 2,600 plus consumers to highlight the changing behaviour and perception toward digital services. 76% of the respondents were high-data users while 24% were basic users.

The survey reveals, nearly 33% respondents upgraded broadband plans for higher data packages with unlimited plans accounting for 40% of total upgrades. Many basic users, or those using data only for thin web-browsing, chatting and calling are migrating to the high user bucket. Nearly 11% of basic data users upgraded their existing packs to either unlimited or 50%-100% higher data for more content streaming, gaming and video calling.

With remote working, it has increasingly becoming commonplace to adopt video conferencing and productivity tools. The survey reveals that as many as 76% respondents are either first timers or have increased the time they spent on video calling.

90% respondents are spending more time on digital activities such as content streaming, e-learning, infotainment and social media. Nearly 61% consumers are streaming more content than they were before the lockdown with time spent on video streaming having surged 1.2 times to an average of 4.2 hours per user per week. Further, 60% respondents prefer subscription-based video-on-demand, while 20% prefer TV entertainment. Nearly 50% of respondents who prefer TV, are spending more time watching movies, shows and news telecast.

The integration of digital with education has led to the emergence of a new breed of digital learners who are adopting technology faster than ever. Nearly 59% respondents are learning online and almost 50% respondents prefer learning on EdTech platforms over accessing learning material scattered on web portals. The report says that scaling network connectivity and access to technologies in far flung rural hinterlands is an opportunity to drive radical socio-economic gains.

The pandemic has also accelerated the transition to a cashless ecosystem. Digital platforms are gaining strength as a preferred medium for most purposes, nearly 38% respondents started using digital payments for the first time. Digital wallets stand strong, with 53% respondents making payments through e-wallets. In fact, telecom operators strategies to monetize digital payments are structurally positive, with 12% respondents leveraging self-care applications for payments. The market is poised for a growth with the digital payment transaction value forecast to double from 2019 to touch $135.2 billion in 2023.

The digital consumer expects speed, agility and self-service, virtually. According to the survey, nearly 50% of the service requests were raised through chatbots, self-care applications and social media platforms. Nearly 70% respondents have indicated preference toward online chats through mobile apps or outreach through instant messaging platforms for service requests. 30% users indicated preference for digital Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) or self-help tutorials and videos for troubleshooting while 51% of them cited privacy concerns as a top barrier to adoption of digital services.

Digital consumption patterns are evolving in exciting ways. The new normal is all about creating hyper-personalized and connected experiences for a digital consumer. The digital services industry is poised for growth, and the right accelerators will go a long way in enabling the lives of 1.3 billion Indians with a click and tick", Prashant Singhal, emerging markets TMT (Technology, Media & Entertainment and Telecommunications) leader at EY, said in a statement.

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90% of consumers are connecting more to virtual world during coronavirus: EY - Livemint

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June 15th, 2020 at 6:48 pm

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