As much as 91 per cent of mobile internet users in Bangladesh believe that mobile devices have improved their quality of life, according to a new study conducted by Telenor Asia.
The study titled “Digital Lives Decoded” was conducted among 8,000 users from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
The study revealed some key trends for digital adaptation among South and Southeast Asia mobile internet users, outlining key factors such as improved productivity, enhanced career skills and new business opportunities seeing an increase due to mobile connectivity.
In the report, the telecom giant also said that 38 per cent of the respondents acknowledged that mobile devices improved their life while 53 per cent said their lives have improved significantly.
Building stronger relationships, being better informed, more productive and efficient – these are just some of the ways people believe mobile usage is making a positive impact on their daily lives.
Of those interviewed, 93 per cent believe their mobile usage improved their quality of life. Across the markets, respondents from Southeast Asia noted improvement in quality of life, more than those in South Asia with Vietnam at 98 per cent and Indonesia at 97 per cent. The South Asian markets surveyed are less convinced, with Pakistan at 88 per cent, the lowest.
As per the study, 57 per cent of Bangladeshi mobile internet users believe that new income streams can be afforded by mobile devices, with 54 per cent admitting its ability to help them access new job and career opportunities. Also, 57 per cent of users showed over 20 per cent increase in productivity due to mobile devices and technology, while for 26 per cent, the productivity increase was over 50 per cent.
While delineating the positive impact of mobile devices and technology on career and skills development, 69 per cent of Bangladeshi respondents reported were found to have significant improvement - states the study.
In terms of gender-based inputs, 73 per cent of female and 67 per cent of male respondents agreed to have gained significant improvement in their career and skills development thanks to mobile internet usage. Furthermore, 54 per cent of Bangladeshi respondents said their mobile device usage for work purposes will increase significantly in the next 6 to 12 months.
Additionally, 61 per cent of Bangladeshi respondents said that privacy and security were the most significant barriers to fully utilising mobile technology at workplaces. Lack of trust in technology and lack of skills and knowledge were mentioned as notable barriers by 49 per cent and 60 per cent of local respondents, respectively.
Access to education and healthcare improved
Increased mobile connectivity has also improved inclusion for most respondents. The majority indicate that mobile connectivity has given them greater access to services that are key to enriching their daily lives, such as education (88%) and healthcare services (88%).
However, it is around financial inclusion where mobile devices are really levelling the playing field. 92% of respondents say having a mobile device has increased their access to financial services while more than half (57%) believe their access to financial services has significantly improved.
In Bangladesh, 94 per cent of the respondents said that mobile devices have improved their access to financial services while 95 per cent said that they gained access to education services and 91 per cent of the respondent said that mobile devices have improved their access to healthcare services.
Besides, Bangladeshi respondents feel the benefits of financial inclusion, driven by mobile usage, most strongly, with 66% expressing a significant positive impact compared to 57% overall.
Baby Boomers in Bangladesh are most likely to report significant quality of life improvements from using their mobile phones (71%), compared to 45% for Baby Boomers overall.
After social interaction (45%), respondents are most likely to cite work (35%) as the biggest reason for increased mobile use in the last 6-12 months – the highest among all markets and notably greater than the 28% average.
They are also the most likely to use their phone to access entertainment on a daily basis – 61% versus 49% overall.
While 98% of respondents feel confident about their digital skills, Bangladeshi respondents are also most likely to be concerned about keeping pace with technological changes, with 97% expressing concerns, compared to 85% overall.
