Make Calls Online

Nearly a quarter of online adults (24%) have used the internet to make a phone call, and on any given day 5% of internet users are going online to place phone calls. This marks a substantial increase in the use of the internet for making phone calls. For most of the past decade, only about one-in-ten online adults were making phone calls online. As recently as 2007, only 8% of online adults reported making phone calls over the internet. Some of the increase may result from question wording. In the most recent survey, the popular online calling service Skype was specifically cited in the question. Still, there is little doubt that the affordability of online calls and the prevalence of smartphones have also contributed to the increase. In the current survey 7% of cell phone owners reported participating in video calls or online chats with their handheld device. Demographically, internet users with higher levels of education and household income, as well as younger online adults, were more likely than others to use the internet for phone calls. Read More