Pew Reports Wireless Use by One-Third of US Internet Users

According to a new report from the Pew Internet & American Life Project, some 34% of Internet users have logged onto the Internet using a wireless connection either around the house, at their workplace, or some place else. In other words, one-third of Internet users, either with a laptop computer, a handheld personal digital assistant (PDA), or cell phone, have surfed the Internet or checked email using means such as WiFi broadband or cell phone networks.

Users of wireless access show deeper engagement with cyberspace -- at least when focusing on two basic online activities, email and news. Among the 34% of Internet users who have gone online wirelessly:
-- 72% of wireless users check email on the typical day, compared to 63% of home broadband users and 54% of all Internet users.
-- 46% get news online on the typical day, compared to 38% of home broadband users and 31% of all Internet users.

The differences between wireless and home broadband users are statistically significant and notable because most wireless users (80%) have broadband connections at home. The findings suggest that the "relentless connectivity" afforded by wireless access represents a different quality in online behavior.1 It is possible -- even likely -- that lifestyle circumstances such as one's job may require lots of email connectivity and associated wireless access. But the boundaries between checking email on a portable device for work or personal purposes can be very blurry; having such work-driven access may foster greater frequency of personal emailing or other kinds of online activities.

Wireless by place
When asked about the places they connect to the Internet by wireless means:
-- 27% of adult Internet users have logged onto the Internet using a wireless device at some place other than their home or place of employment.
-- 20% of Internet users have gone online at home using a wireless network.
-- 17% of Internet users have connected wirelessly while at work.
Most wireless surfers log on wirelessly from more than just one of the places asked about. In fact, 25% of Internet users have gone online wirelessly from two of the three places; put differently, three-quarters of all those who have logged onto the Internet using a wireless network have done this from more than one of the types of places queried.


Wireless by device
Laptop computers: Four in ten (39%) Internet users have laptop computers and of these laptop users, 80% say their laptops can connect to the Internet on a wireless network. Most of the time, those with wireless enabled laptops connect to a wireless network at home, although most also have logged on from someplace other than work or home. Specifically, among laptop users whose machines are capable of connecting to the Internet wirelessly:
-- 88% of laptop users have at one time logged on using a home wireless network.
-- 57% have used a wireless network someplace other than home or work to connect to the Internet.
-- 36% have logged using a wireless network at work.
The growth in wireless networks at home has undoubtedly fuelled the use of laptops to connect wirelessly around the house. One in five (19%) of Internet users have wireless networks at home, which is twice the number recorded when the Pew Internet Project asked this question in January 2005, when 10% of Internet users had home wireless networks.

More often than not, those with laptops and home wireless networks take advantage of in-house mobility; three-quarters of these users say they move their laptop around to different parts of the house

Cell phones: One quarter (25%) of Internet users say they have a cell phone that connects to the Internet with a wireless connection. Among Internet users with this capability on their cell phone, half (54%) have used it to get on the Internet either at home, work, or someplace other than home