A total 42 per cent of the Maltese population own a smartphone, according to a quantitative study commissioned earlier this year by the Malta Communications Authority.
This was five per cent more in 2013. The increase is reflected in all age groups except in the 65-74 group. The younger age groups lead the way in terms of growth.
The study showed that although 79 per cent of the population was aware that the Internet could be accessed through a mobile phone, 47 per cent never did so.
The remaining 52 per cent claimed to have used the internet on their mobile phone sometime during the period preceding the interview, an increase of four per cent over 2013. Typically, mobile data users are generally aged between 16 and 34 years and possess a post-secondary level of education or higher.
Significant growth has been registered in the number of mobile data users that are subscribing to contract or prepaid plans, which have now reached 72 per cent when compared to the 52 per cent subscribed in 2013.
The contract monthly plans are generally preferred by those aged between 35 and 54 while prepaid plans are more popular with those aged between 16 and 34.
Mobile data users are today accessing the internet for a longer period of time with 25 per cent claiming to use it for at least an hour or more every time, an increase of 15 per cent on 2013.
Socialising and sending/receiving emails continued to be the most popular internet activities conducted on a mobile, followed by accessing content via APPs and retrieving information/news.
Social media and messaging are still the most accessed applications among mobile data users, followed by content and games. Facebook leads the way as the website mostly visited, closely followed by Google, YouTube and timesofmalta.com.
A total 77 per cent of mobile data users claim to access the internet on their mobile when abroad, an increase of 40 per cent over 2013. More than two thirds do so via WIFI while 26 per cent connect via a data plan subscription.
A total 61 per cent of mobile data plan subscribers agree that data service costs are affordable with more than two-thirds agreeing that data service is reliable and coverage is good.
Not having a mobile phone that allows internet access is the main reason why people do not use mobile data services. Interestingly, the perception that one does not need or is not interested in a mobile phone that allows internet connectivity declined by a significant 31 per cent from 2013.