Mobile operators throughout South Africa are experiencing increased traffic as the coronavirus pandemic drives users online for information.
According to online search data from Upstream’s Zero-D, during March and May this year, coronavirus accounted for 15% of all online searches nationwide.
Interest in general health news also saw a dramatic increase, jumping from just 5,2% between December 2019 and February 2020, to 28,6% by May 2020, accounting for more than a quarter of all news content.
Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, the top trending search query in South Africa was “How to get free data?”. Since the outbreak, this has been joined in the rankings, alongside “What is coronavirus?” and “When are schools opening?” which now occupy the top two positions.
This signals a very clear demand for free and discounted internet access during the pandemic, alongside a thirst for education.
Kostas Kastanis, deputy-CEO at Upstream, believes free data and services can play in helping emerging markets like South Africa bridge the digital divide.
On the subject of the pandemic effect, he says: “For hundreds of millions of people globally, topping up their mobile phone is not something they can physically do or afford when they run out of credit. This means they’re missing out on connectivity with all of the social and economic opportunities that come with it.
“During the pandemic this has become more evident with the internet becoming an essential vehicle for accessing critical information on public health.”
Zero-D, Upstream’s ad-funded free mobile internet platform, keeps users connected to the digital world even when they have run out of data.