CALGARY – A new study by Ipsos Reid has found that over eight in ten Canadians (82%) now have Internet access at home, a 6% increase from the second quarter last year, and up 4% from the end of 2008.
“Even in difficult economic times, Canadians understand that having Internet access is essential in today’s society,” said study author Mark Laver, associate VP with Ipsos Reid, in a statement. “It has become so important to the lives of Canadians, that in some areas of the country, Internet access is almost identical to home telephone access.”
The study found that access at home is almost universal for those under 55 years of age, as 89% of participants aged 18 to 34, and 87% of those aged 35 to 54 have Internet access at home. In comparison, only 69% of those aged 55+ have access at home.
Dial-up access is in the last stages of use as only 8% of Internet-enabled Canadians access the Internet through this method, while about eight in ten are using some form of high speed access. The last 18 months has seen a rise in an ‘other’ category, which is widely suspected to be mobile broadband sticks, netbooks and smart phone users.
