Indonesia’s Youth Crave Faster, Higher Quality Internet Access
The Internet is a platform for career progression, education and empowering young Indonesians, according to Ooredoo’s New Horizons Study
Download the full report and info graphics on dedicated microsite www.ooredoonewhorizons.com/Indonesia.
Jakarta, Indonesia / Doha, Qatar
Ooredoo today announced the launch of a new study, ‘New Horizons:Indonesia’s Digital Generation,’ which examines the aspirations of young people across Indonesia. The release builds upon the body of research developed through Ooredoo’s online survey, ‘New Horizons: Young, Arab and Connected’, which surveyed more than 10,500 young adults in 17 countries across the MENA region at the beginning of 2014.
Taken together, both reports represent some of the most in-depth research yet undertaken on young people’s digital attitudes and aspirations.
Among the top findings of the Indonesian research:
· 91% claim that the Internet is encouraging them to become more entrepreneurial and 83% are intending to, or have already, set up a business online
· Nine out of 10 young people in Indonesia are optimistic about their prospects in the coming year
· When asked about the role of technology in society, 95% believe that it opens up communication channels to promote peace and understanding and the same percentage believetechnology is the basis of a modern, forward-thinking and functional society
· In terms of career progression, 93% believe the Internet allows them to search beyond their own country for employment, whilst 77% regularly use the Internet to improve their education
Over 1400 men and women aged between 18 and 30 from Indonesia participated in the online survey which is one of the most in-depth research projects on the subject yet undertaken. The research highlights the huge appetite for greater and more advanced Internet reach, and Indonesian youths’ attitudes towards economic and education related issues, particularly in relation to finding a job and starting a business.
H.E. Sheikh Abdullah Bin Mohammed Bin Saud Al Thani, Chairman, Ooredoo, said “Indonesian youth are hungry to improve their career prospects, educate themselves, become more entrepreneurial and broaden their horizons by connecting with each other and the rest of the world. This research demonstrates that young people in Indonesia understand the transformative power of technology and the opportunities provided by ICT. Companies, governments and organisations need to recognise this creative spark, and find ways to nurture it, so that we capture the full benefit of young people’s contribution to Indonesia’s future.”
Alexander Rusli, CEO of Indosat, said: “This is an extremely exciting time for Indonesia as it enters a critical stage of its digital evolution and Indosat is proud to be an integral part of this journey. The study supports our belief that ICT has a vital role in helping the country’s young people realise their full economic potential and it provides valuable insights for identifying opportunities to help them do so. Indosat, alongside our parent company Ooredoo, is committed to enriching peoples’ lives and stimulating human growth in the communities where it operates and we know the New Horizon study findings will help us and others to continue this work.”
The research is overwhelmingly positive about the potential social and economic benefits the ICT sector creates for Indonesia and there is a sense that the country is at a “tipping point” in its digital evolution. However, the main barrier to realising Indonesia’s potential remains the basic infrastructure. When asked how they would rate the Internet connection speed provided by their telecommunication operators, only 62% of respondents considered it to be good. Of those in rural locations, 60% who have Internet access were frustrated by poor Internet coverage and 82% with slow connections.
Respondents confirmed that these frustrations are preventing them from taking full advantage of the Internet, with 91% claiming that they do not spend as much time online as they would like to, indicating that they are not benefitting fully from the educational, social and career benefits provided by the Internet.
A key takeaway of the research is that, with the right infrastructure development, ICT has the power to breathe new confidence and optimism into the lives of Indonesian youths, encouraging them to proactively improve their own lives. 42% of respondents do not yet believe they are working at their full capacity, and 36% aren’t doing the work they would like to do, but the research suggests that Internet could be a platform for Indonesian youths to better their careers and themselves, with 99% either presently or intending to improve their specific job knowledge and skills online.
There also needs to be a step-change in the way people use the technology at their disposal. Many respondents recognised the importance of using the Internet for business purposes (99%), to search for skilled workers (96%) and to source funding online (97%). However, when asked how easy they believed it was to carry out these kinds of activities, a significant number said that they found it difficult.
Linked to this, the research identified an increasing appetite for smartphones across Indonesia, with 58% of respondents claiming they regularly use a smartphone that is connected to the Internet. In rural areas, 60% of respondents want to be using smartphones, trading in their basic mobile phones within the next 12 months. Tablet usage is expected to increase by 8% but uptake will be hindered by initial costs of the tablet devices for the price-sensitive Indonesian youth.
The research also flagged key differences between the views of those in rural and urban communities, perhaps owing to the trend for rural-urban migration in recent years, which might place pressures on the demand for services and the challenge to supply this infrastructure. Interestingly, 54% of youth in rural locations considered economic prosperity as being good compared to the lower 46% in urban locations. Another suggestion that there is a strain on urban services is that a higher percentage of 62% in rural locations rate their education system as being good overall, compared to the lower 54% in urban locations.
Digital copies of the full report ‘New Horizons – Indonesia’s Digital Generation: An Ooredoo survey on the aspirations of Indonesia’s connected youth are available on a dedicated microsite [www.ooredoonewhorizons.com/Indonesia
About Ooredoo
Ooredoo is a leading international communications company delivering mobile, fixed, broadband internet and corporate managed services tailored to the needs of consumers and businesses across markets in the Middle East, North Africa and Southeast Asia. As a community-focused company, Ooredoo is guided by its vision of enriching people’s lives and its belief that it can stimulate human growth by leveraging communications to help people achieve their full potential. Ooredoo has a presence in markets such as Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Algeria, Tunisia, Iraq, Palestine, the Maldives, Myanmar and Indonesia. The company was named “Best Mobile Operator of the Year” at the World Communication Awards 2013.
The company reported revenues of US$9.3 billion in 2013 and had a consolidated global customer base of more than 95 million people as of 31 December 2013. Ooredoo’s shares are listed on the Qatar Exchange and the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange.
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Research Methodology: The research was carried out with 1,466 young adults (18-30 years old) from across Indonesia where 642 completed our full online survey from 16th to 26th of August 2013. This research was conducted by FTI Consulting for Ooredoo.
For more information on the research methodology, please contact: market-research@fticonsulting.com
