There are a multitude of ways to access the Internet, and a plethora of places to connect from. So, what are the current trends? Whether you are still battling with dial-up in Krugersdorp, or riding the wave of WiMax in Helsinki, people all around the world are accessing the Internet in different ways and from different locations. Everyday, more people are going online on devices varying from laptops to gaming consoles and even MP3 players. Here are the stats on where and how people are accessing the net.

Let’s start by taking a look at the bigger picture, as the Internet grows and evolves, here are the leaders in online penetration as per geographic region:                 

 
From World Internet Stats: The Internet Big Picture- Measured in Millions (June 2009) (click image to enlarge)

• There are an estimated 1,668,870,408 Internet users
• Asia is the leader in online penetration with 704.2 million estimated users, followed by Europe with 402.4 million and North America with 251. 7 million
• Africa, the Middle East and Oceania/Australia have the lowest penetration with 65.9, 48 and 20.8 million users respectively
• In Africa, Egypt is the country with the most people online with 12.6 millions users, while Nigeria follows closely with 11 millions users
• South Africa ranks in 4th place in Africa, with 4.6 million users

Mobile Internet Devices. Image credit: WirelessWeek

With the advent of wireless technology, recent trends have shown a migration to Internet ‘on-the-move’ through various devices, including laptops and mobile devices:

From: Pew Internet & American Life Project (April 2009) 

• 56% of adult Americans have accessed the Internet by wireless means, such as a laptop, mobile device, game console, or MP3 player
• The most prevalent way people get online using a wireless network is with a laptop computer; 39% of adults have done this
• One-third of Americans (32%) have used a cell phone or Smartphone to access the Internet for emailing, instant-messaging, or information-seeking
• This level of mobile internet is up by one-third since December 2007, when only 24% of Americans had ever used the Internet on a mobile device
• On the typical day, nearly one-fifth (19%) of Americans use the Internet on a mobile device, up substantially from the 11% level recorded in December 2007. That’s a growth of 73% in the 16 month interval between surveys
• The mobile device will be the primary connection tool to the Internet for most people in the world in 2020
• As wireless and broadband technology evolves, people find new and innovative ways to get online. Whether it's wireless hotspots, browsing with your mobile, dial-up or fiber optic broadband the changes are ubiquitous are continuous. How do you access the Internet?

 Also check out:

• Friday Fact Box: Internet Use in Sub-Saharan Africa
• Friday Fact Box - Online Tool Preferences
• Friday Fact Box - Emotions About the Internet