Nearly all (97%) consumers in emerging markets have seen fundamental life changes in key areas due to the transformative impact of connectivity, according to Juniper Networks.
This is part of findings of an international study conducted last June by Wakefield Research, covering 5,500 adults with smartphones and/or internet access in the home, including at least 500 interviews each in Brazil, China, India and South Africa.
The Juniper Networks Global Bandwidth Index found that people in developing countries often use connected devices as a tool for personal advancement and self-improvement, while in the developed world, the focus is much more on convenience and efficiency.
Nearly twice as many people in developing countries regularly use connected devices for educational purposes as those in developed markets. Further, 46% of respondents in developing countries use connected devices for professional development versus 27% in developed markets.
Two in five (40%) respondents in emerging markets report that connectivity has improved their earning power, compared with just 17% in developed markets.
Three in five (60%) of consumers in emerging markets believe that connectivity has transformed their social lives, compared with 38% in the developed countries.
Also, 39% of people in developing nations surveyed have experienced a significant transformation in their access to education thanks to connectivity. In developed countries, that numbers is less than half.
In India, for example, 45% of respondents say that connectivity has fundamentally changed how they access textbooks, complete coursework or use teaching tools, compared with just 7% in Japan.
Looking to the future, more than half of consumers surveyed in emerging countries would like to have more access to educational resources compared to less than one-quarter in developed countries.
The majority of individuals in emerging markets report they have missed personal and professional opportunities as a result of connectivity challenges.
Overall, 60% of consumers in emerging markets cited connection speed as the most common problem (compared with 27% in developed countries).
Further, 30% of people in emerging markets stated that simply finding a connection remains an issue (compared to just 13% in developed nations).