Better-connected Kiwis surfing at home
Four out of five New Zealanders now have access to the internet within the confines of their own homes, signaling a change in times across the country.
Recent findings from Statistics New Zealand says 80% of Kiwis can now surf the web from home, representing a 5% rise since 2009.
Two-thirds of rural households now also have a broadband connection, up 13% since the last survey four years ago - as Kiwis become better-connected nationwide.
As a result, dial-up internet usage declined 8% to just 4%, suggesting a full-scale shift to broadband is just around the corner.
While internet is not present in every Kiwi household, the rise is an encouraging reminder that New Zealanders are changing the way they think about online web surfing.
Granted, 45% of households still yet to sample the worldwide web claimed this was down to a simple lack of interest, meaning chances are this article is wasted on them. Hello non-believers anyways.
A further 10% displayed concerns about their own capabilities online, believing to lack the skills needed to successfully surf - thankfully it isn't as difficult as actual surfing.
On the flip side however, 40% of households are now using more than one device to access the internet, doubling the figure since 2009.
Laptops still remain the most popular means of jumping online in more than two-thirds of households, but as one-third of households access the internet via a mobile phone, the 26% rise implies smartphones and tablets will take prominence four years from now.
Wellington and Auckland were named the best-connected cities with 85% of online households, with the stats backing up yesterday's story that over half of the population are now shopping online.
New Zealand is sharp becoming all things internet, and as Kiwis become better-connected, it appears only a matter of time before the non-believers down tools and pick up a wireless router instead.
Is New Zealand becoming better-connected? Do you notice a change? Tell us your thoughts below
