More than half of working women in Latin America wish to keep their personal and professional lives separate and use mobile broadband tools to do so
Working women lead the daily usage of internet services, and device and service ownership is higher in this group
The gender gap is evident in terms of device ownership and internet use; however, the gap is getting smaller among younger age groups

In a report prepared especially for International Women’s Day (March 8), Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) ConsumerLab analyzed studies based on women and technology, representing the views of 189 million men and women in Latin America. The report throws light on gender parity, especially with regard to internet usage.

Ericsson ConsumerLab interviewed respondents across age groups and marital status, in six Latin American countries[1]. The results show that 54 percent of working women wish to have a clear distinction between their personal and professional lives. They are also much more concerned about achieving a higher social status than non-working women.

“Mobile devices and digital services can help women stay updated and accessible, and to reach their ambitions,” says Diana Moya, Head of Ericsson ConsumerLab in Ericsson Latin America and Caribbean.

Currently, in the countries that Ericsson surveyed, women are behind in ownership of devices, use of digital services and the internet. Only 42 percent of women own a smartphone compared to 47 percent for men and 15 percent of women own tablets compared to 19 percent of men. The gap is also present in their buying intention with 31 percent of women saying they’ll get a new smartphone in the next 12 months, compared to 38 percent of men.

Moya says: “We see that in Brazil this gap in smartphone ownership is reducing over time, especially among the younger age groups. For instance, in 2010, only 4 percent of women in the 15-20 age group owned a smartphone compared to 12 percent of men. However, in 2014, the ownership had increased to 62 percent for both men and women in that age group.”

The analysis also examines differences between the daily mobile activities of women in different age groups, single vs. married women, and homemakers vs. working professionals. Younger women have more devices and are therefore more tech-savvy. 33 percent of single women spend more than three hours on the internet at home compared to 22 percent of married women. Finally, homemakers spend more time streaming music, but working women lead in the daily use of internet services other than entertainment.

The global theme of International Women’s Day 2016 is #pledgeforparity. Moya says: “It’s interesting how gender shows up as a differentiator for the factors of device ownership and types of online habits. However, I am sure we need to aim for equality in the use of technology in general, as there is definite evidence that those with higher ownership are more tech-savvy, and therefore have better access to multiple services that can make life easier.”

[1] Interviews were undertaken with consumers aged 15-69, across 6 markets in Latin America: Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Uruguay, Mexico and El Salvador.

Ericsson ConsumerLab

Ericsson is the driving force behind the Networked Society – a world leader in communications technology and services. Our long-term relationships with every major telecom operator in the world allow people, business and society to fulfill their potential and create a more sustainable future.

Our services, software and infrastructure – especially in mobility, broadband and the cloud – are enabling the telecom industry and other sectors to do better business, increase efficiency, improve the user experience and capture new opportunities.

With approximately 115,000 professionals and customers in 180 countries, we combine global scale with technology and services leadership. We support networks that connect more than 2.5 billion subscribers. Forty percent of the world’s mobile traffic is carried over Ericsson networks. And our investments in research and development ensure that our solutions – and our customers – stay in front.

Founded in 1876, Ericsson has its headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden. Net sales in 2015 were SEK 246.9 billion (USD 29.4 billion). Ericsson is listed on NASDAQ OMX stock exchange in Stockholm and the NASDAQ in New York.

Ericsson has been present in Latin America since 1896, when the company established an agreement in Colombia and delivered equipment for the first time in the region. In the early 1900s, Ericsson increased its presence in Latin America by signing commercial deals in Argentina, Brazil and Mexico. Today, Ericsson is present in 56 countries within South America, Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean, which combined count the region as one of the few with complete Ericsson installations, including a Production Unit, R&D Center and Training Center. Ericsson is the market leading telecom supplier, with over 40% market share in Latin America and more than 100 telecom service contracts in the region.