In comparison to necessities like water and electricity, 91 percent of Saudi respondents now classify broadband as “critical national infrastructure,” above EMEA averages.
Consumer expectations have changed, according to the most recent Cisco Broadband Survey, which included 2,000 Saudi Arabian respondents. This marks the beginning of a significant change in the Internet connectivity industry.
Consumers in the kingdom are reassessing how much they rely on the Internet, juggling their desire for dependability and speed with the growing demands of environmental consciousness and the emergence of the Internet of Things (IoT), which connects everything from smart cars to household appliances.
Consumer broadband preferences in Saudi Arabia are influenced by sustainability
A consensus has emerged as a result of this transition, with 91 percent of Saudi respondents now classifying internet as “critical national infrastructure,” equating it with necessities like water and electricity and exceeding EMEA averages.
The rise of sustainability as a key influence on consumer decisions is a prominent feature of this revolutionary environment.
The younger group, those in Saudi Arabia between the ages of 18 and 24, has the highest level of anxiety, at 73%, and has expressed concerns about the carbon footprint of their broadband at a startling 65 percent of consumers.
Additionally, 92 percent of respondents in the kingdom indicated that they would be willing to pay more for sustainable broadband, with almost a quarter saying they would be willing to pay more than double that amount.
Our survey has shown that Saudi Arabian consumers are becoming more conscious of the environmental impact of technology. This is consistent with KSA efforts to create a more prosperous and sustainable society and represents a cutting-edge strategy to advance sustainability in the nation, according to Salman Faqeeh, Managing Director of Cisco Saudi Arabia.
“In the modern world, it is more important than ever for digital transformation to cooperate with sustainability. At Cisco, we think the tech sector has a special chance to drive the dual transition to a digital and green future.
The need for processing power and bandwidth to handle the enormous amounts of created data is growing as the IoT age develops.
More than half of Saudi Internet users use their connections primarily for social media interaction (58%) followed by video streaming and gaming (57%) and online reading, browsing, or shopping (53%) activities.
In Saudi Arabia, respondents are increasingly integrating a range of connected devices into their home Internet services, including smart lights (29 percent), home appliances (30 percent), and home entertainment systems (54 percent). This evolution has also ushered in a preference for a “smarter” digital life.