It has been a considerable amount of time since digitalization permeated every facet of our lives, rendering it challenging to navigate daily activities without the use of smartphones and other devices. In our compact "fit-in-pocket" phones, we store everything—from our social life and work to sports and, most importantly, our communications. It is difficult to envision people relying on alternative communication methods when smartphones and messengers have become integral. Central Asia is no exception in this regard; over the past decade, the region has witnessed remarkable progress in digitalization development.

In this latest installment of the CAB Data Blog series, we invite you to delve deeper into the digital communications landscape of three Central Asian countries: Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan. In this post, we will explore how often people access the internet and what messenger they prefer.

The vast majority of individuals in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan report daily usage of their phones to access the Internet. In Uzbekistan, however, this percentage is somewhat lower, with only 73% of respondents indicating daily usage. When examining various age groups, it is observed that only 46% of Uzbeks aged 60 and above utilize their phones for daily internet access, while their counterparts in neighboring Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan exhibit higher activity in this aspect. Nevertheless, across all three countries, the overwhelming majority of young people consistently employ their phones for daily internet access.

When examining the internet usage patterns and preferred applications among our respondents, an intriguing picture emerges. In contrast to residents of Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, who predominantly favor WhatsApp as their messenger of choice, 70% of Uzbeks prefer Telegram. In Uzbekistan, only 18% of respondents use WhatsApp most frequently, and a mere 4% opt for IMO, a platform that lacks popularity in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. Notably, Viber appears to be relatively unpopular across all three countries.

Moreover, the prevalence of Telegram use is more pronounced among the younger generation, indicating a generational preference for this messenger. This pattern is also observed in urban areas, where respondents show a higher inclination towards Telegram compared to their counterparts in rural areas. This detailed exploration of digital communication trends underscores the dynamic and evolving nature of technology adoption in Central Asia over the past decade.