Around 9 in 10 households had internet access in 2021

Smartphones were the top device used to access the internet.

More than nine in 10 households of 94.4% had internet access last year, according to a survey by the Census and Statistics Department.

In its Thematic Household Survey, the department found that the smartphone was the most popular type of device used for internet connection at home at 99.9%, followed by personal computer at 80.2%.

The percentage of persons aged 10 and above who had used the internet in the 12 months during the enumeration slightly rose to 93.1% in 2021 from 92.4% in the previous year. 

Persons aged 65 and above who had used the internet also showed an increase from 65.9% to 70%.

Meanwhile, the popularity of smartphones continued to rise, with its penetration rate increasing to 92.9% in 2021 from 92.1% in 2020.

“The increase in usage of smartphone was particularly remarkable among the elderly. 73.0% of persons aged 65 and over had a smartphone in 2021, higher than the corresponding percentage (68.1%) in 2020,” the department said.

The survey conducted from April to July 2021 involved around 10,100 households.