Internet usage and user preferences in Saudi Arabia

Abstract Internet is becoming an integral part of the daily life for many people and it is spreading quickly. In this paper, we discuss Internet service in Saudi Arabia. We study the Internet service penetration among different social categories and study users’ preference on Internet access times, communication system used for the connection, and the technical attributes of the Internet connection. The results revealed that email access was the main purpose for Internet use for most of the participants. Young users were found to use the Internet more frequently for chatting and entertainment than old users. Improving the speed and quality of the Internet connection were found to be more important than decreasing the price of the service. DSL was the most frequently used communication system to connect to the Internet. Whereas, satellite system was the most preferred alternative communication system but its relatively high cost prevented its wider spread among users. Results of this study provide insight on the present status of Internet usage in the Saudi society and provide basis for business and government agencies that may be considered in future development and policy formulation.