”The Networked Life in Lebanon” is an Ericsson ConsumerLab report highlighting that consumers in Lebanon are adopting a ’networked lifestyle’ similarly to their global counterparts. This is defined not only by socio-cultural trends but also by the products they consume and the services they use online. It also highlights that Lebanese consumers are active sharers and social participants on the internet, and their consumption behaviors are being shaped by the internet and mobile apps. Mobile broadband ownership in Lebanon is also higher than the global average.

1. ERICSSON
CONSUMERLAB
THE NETWORKED
LIFE IN LEBANON
How the internet and mobile apps
are changing consumption
An Ericsson Consumer Insight Report
August 2016

2. 2 ERICSSON CONSUMERLAB THE NETWORKED LIFE IN LEBANON
This report presents insights based on
data gathered from 1,510 face-to-face
interviews with Lebanese consumers
in the 15–69 age group, representing
2.7 million people. It also includes insights
based on data gathered from another
45,290 face-to-face and online interviews
with consumers in the same age group,
representing over a billion people across
24 countries.
METHODOLOGY
Contents
3 CHANGING LIFESTYLES IN LEBANON
4 POSITIVE ABOUT TECHNOLOGY
5 NETIZENS AND NETWORKERS
7 LIVING THE NETWORKED LIFE
9 CHANGING CONSUMER BEHAVIOR
11 IMPACT ON CONSUMPTION
Ericsson ConsumerLab has 20 years’ experience of
studying people’s behaviors and values, including the
way they act and think about ICT products and services.
Ericsson ConsumerLab provides unique insights on
market and consumer trends.
Ericsson ConsumerLab gains its knowledge through
a global consumer research program based on
interviews with 100,000 individuals each year, in more
than 40 countries and 15 megacities – statistically
representing the views of 1.1 billion people.
Both quantitative and qualitative methods are used,
and hundreds of hours are spent with consumers
from different cultures. To be close to the market and
consumers, Ericsson ConsumerLab has representatives
throughout Ericsson’s global presence, developing
an international understanding of the ICT market and
business models.
All reports can be found at:
www.ericsson.com/consumerlab
the voice of the consumer

3. ERICSSON CONSUMERLAB THE NETWORKED LIFE IN LEBANON 3
Changing lifestyles
in Lebanon
Today’s lifestyles are defined not just by prevalent
socio-cultural trends, but by the products we consume
and the services we use. As the amount of time we spend
using digital and online services grows exponentially, our
perspective on life changes. Driven by the ever-increasing
proportion of products and services accessed via the
internet, this change ultimately leads to what we call a
‘networked lifestyle’.This means consumers understand the
benefits of online participation and subsequently engage
in behavior that involves social activity, sharing and a belief
in technology for the betterment of society.
While adoption levels of this networked lifestyle vary from
country to country, consumers in Lebanon are by no means
falling behind. When consumers start to adopt a networked
lifestyle, their increased connectivity and access to devices
also changes their usage of various services.
Among Lebanese consumers, internet-based communication
services show a marked increase in consumption, while
online healthcare services are yet to become popular.
In this report, we explore the attitudes and behaviors of
Lebanese consumers and the different stages of the journey
towards a networked lifestyle.
> Lebanese consumers are primarily
mobile users, with 79 percent mobile
broadband ownership compared to
69 percent globally
> Limited uptake of fixed broadband and
mobile streaming has resulted in 14 percent
fewer early adopters than global levels,
but 12 percent more early followers
Lebanese consumers are active sharers
and social participants, with participation
in two or more instant messaging
communities being 8 percent higher
than the global average
Low participation in collective intelligence
services can be attributed to negligible usage
of sharing services like Uber and Airbnb
A narrow gap for mobile usage between
early adopters and early followers drives
a high pace of change for communication
activities like messaging and calls
Online healthcare activities will take longer
to become mainstream
KEY FINDINGS
Consumers in Lebanon
are gradually adopting a
networked lifestyle
High levels of sharing and social
participation while collective
intelligence services lag behind
Consumption behaviors are
being shaped by the internet
and mobile apps

4. Positive about
technology
Lebanese consumers have a positive outlook on technology,
with 68 percent owning 2 or more devices such as
smartphones, feature phones, desktops, laptops and tablets.
The technology that Lebanese consumers use to connect
to the internet is comparable to their global counterparts
(see Figure 1). At 79 percent, mobile broadband ownership
in Lebanon is higher than the global average of 69 percent,
indicating a comparatively strong interest in connectivity.
The network effect
The ‘network effect’ is the influence a user has on a product
or service’s value to other users. For example, as more and
more people acquire mobile phone connections, the level
of interconnectivity increases, thereby increasing the value
of owning the product itself. However, we can now see
that when this happens to multiple products and services
simultaneously – such as when people quickly adopt a range
of connected products and networked services – this value
manifests itself in their lifestyles.
Around 40 percent of Lebanese early adopters expressed
how connecting their air conditioners, cameras and home
alarms would make their everyday lives more efficient,
while around 20 percent of early followers felt the need for
connected televisions and other gadgets, such as watches
and cameras. This suggests an increasing interest in a
networked lifestyle among this group.
As the networked lifestyle involves people connecting to
share knowledge and resources, this naturally leads to the
creation of collective intelligence. For example, users being
able to find and consider reviews of products when making
buying decisions.
4 ERICSSON CONSUMERLAB THE NETWORKED LIFE IN LEBANON
Figure 1: Proportion of consumers in Lebanon
who own internet-capable devices
Source: Ericsson ConsumerLab, The Networked Life in Lebanon, 2015
Base: People aged 15–69 years
82%
94%
Smartphone
78%
52%
Laptop/
notebook/
desktop
48%
31%
Tablet
32% 32%
Smart TV
Global Lebanon

5. ERICSSON CONSUMERLAB THE NETWORKED LIFE IN LEBANON 5
Like the rest of the world, Lebanese consumers exhibit
varying levels of networked lifestyle adoption. The surprise
is that despite being ahead of the global average in mobile
broadband connectivity (Figure 2), the majority of consumers
in Lebanon (76 percent) use less than 1 gigabyte of mobile
data per month. In addition, only 20 percent of consumers
are satisfied with the price plans currently available.
This could explain why usage is focused on less
data-intensive activities like social networking and browsing,
compared to global figures. Based on time spent on a variety
of online services, we can determine two key consumer
groups: ‘netizens’ who drive the networked lifestyle; and
‘networkers’ who engage in some aspects of the lifestyle.
Throughout this report, Ericsson ConsumerLab addresses
the netizens as ‘early adopters’ and networkers as
‘early followers’.
We have focused on these two groups as they have been
defined based on internet usage and internet citizenship,
rather than adoption of technology. Netizens are not well
represented in Lebanon, making up only 3 percent of the
population compared to 17 percent at a global level.
This low representation is due to a number of factors,
including cost-conscious consumers in Lebanon not
using data-intensive activities like video streaming,
preferring to connect via mobile broadband rather than fixed
broadband. As seen in Figure 2, 54 percent of consumers
only use mobile broadband to connect to the internet. From
the perspective of the usage gap, this study has revealed
interesting behavior among early followers, who will quickly
‘cross the chasm’ and join the netizens. This phenomenon
is unique to Lebanon compared to the global picture.
NETIZENS AND
NETWORKERS
Netizens (early adopters)
This consumer group is digitally savvy, spending
at least one hour on the internet daily. They are
the heaviest users of digital services, using at least
seven digital services on a daily basis. In Lebanon,
all netizens own a smartphone and either a laptop
or desktop. They also perceive technology to be an
enabler of societal development.
Networkers (early followers)
This group uses the internet on a daily basis,
accessing at least three digital services daily.
They are the better represented of these two
groups in Lebanon, making up 36 percent of
consumers. Lebanese networkers edge out their
global counterparts on mobile broadband
connectivity at 85 to 79 percent respectively.
They have high smartphone ownership and are
positive about leading a networked lifestyle.

6. 6 ERICSSON CONSUMERLAB THE NETWORKED LIFE IN LEBANON
Figure 2: Type of internet access
Source: Ericsson ConsumerLab, The Networked Life in Lebanon, 2015
Base: Mobile and fixed broadband users, aged 15–69 years
25% 57% 18% 54% 34% 12%
Mobile broadband
Global Lebanon
Fixed broadbandCombined

7. ERICSSON CONSUMERLAB THE NETWORKED LIFE IN LEBANON 7
For the purposes of this study, we have identified three
key markers of a networked lifestyle — sharing and social
participation, collective intelligence, and belief in technology
for the betterment of society.
Sharing and social participation
We have already mentioned that consumers in Lebanon
prefer less data-intensive activities such as browsing and
social networking. Overall, 42 percent participate in at least
2 social networking communities compared to 46 percent
globally. Also, participation in two or more instant messaging
communities is 8 percent higher than the global average.
Figure 3 shows that Lebanese consumers are comfortable
with sharing and social participation, but there is low interest
in communities such as user-driven question-and-answer
websites like Quora and sport or technology forums.
Collective intelligence
‘Collective intelligence’ refers to a shared intelligence based
on the collaborative efforts of many individuals, which
helps consumers make informed decisions. On the whole,
consumers in Lebanon do not actively engage in collective
intelligence, with negligible usage of sharing services
like Uber and Airbnb. This could explain why they do not
believe in the power of collective intelligence (Figure 4).
Living the
networked life
Figure 3: Percentage of consumers who
engage in social participation
Source: Ericsson ConsumerLab, The Networked Life in Lebanon, 2015
Base: People aged 15–69 years
0%
Social networking Community apps Instant messaging
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
Networkers Netizens Overall
Figure 4: Percentage of consumers who
engage in collective intelligence
Source: Ericsson ConsumerLab, The Networked Life in Lebanon, 2015
Base: People aged 15-69 years
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
50%
55%
60%
Networkers Netizens Overall
42 percent of Lebanese
consumers participate
in at least 2 social
networking communities
It is easier to find products
and services online than
from friends and family
I trust user reviews for
products and services
over expert reviews

8. 8 ERICSSON CONSUMERLAB THE NETWORKED LIFE IN LEBANON
Societal betterment through technology
Compared to the rest of the world, consumers in Lebanon are
yet to develop a strong belief in technology for the betterment
of society. For instance, only 25 percent of consumers feel
that more people connecting through technology will lead to
positive changes in society, compared to 40 percent globally.
However, the younger 15–19 age group has a stronger belief
in technology for the betterment of society compared to the
older population. We explored this belief among consumers
by studying its impact on education and healthcare, as well
as in reducing casualties during disasters.
Figure 5: Percentage of consumers who believe in technology for the betterment of society
Source: Ericsson ConsumerLab, The Networked Life in Lebanon, 2015
Base: People aged 15-69 years
Networkers Netizens Overall
Technology
democratizes
education
With the highest representation between the two
groups, networkers perceive that technology
democratizes education
Only 17 percent of Lebanese consumers have
privacy concerns over sharing their personal
lives online, indicating a potential for technology
to improve the healthcare environment in the
near future
Increased awareness can change consumers’
perception of the role technology can play in
reducing casualties during crises
Technology
improves
healthcare
environment
Technology
reduces
casualties
33%
37%
32%
28%
20%
34%
26%
27%
21%

9. Crossing the chasm
Consumers use the internet and mobile apps to perform
the same activities, leading to a difference in usage levels.
Organizational theorist and author Geoffrey A. Moore refers to
this ‘gap’ in usage levels between different consumer groups
as ‘the chasm’ in his book Crossing the Chasm. ‘Crossing the
chasm’ is closely related to the technology adoption lifecycle,
suggesting that marketers should focus on one group of
customers at a time and use each group as a base for
marketing to the next group.
Ericsson ConsumerLab analyzed the online and mobile
app consumption behavior of both netizens and networkers
for communication and healthcare activities.
We chose to study these two areas since consumers
in Lebanon are ahead of their global counterparts for
consumption of communication activities but lag behind
when it comes to healthcare.
To understand the pace of change we measured the ‘gap’
in internet and mobile applications usage, which helps
simplify ‘crossing the chasm’ and explain its impact on
consumption. It is important to bear in mind that Lebanese
consumers are unique in their consumption behavior and
perform mainly smartphone-based, low data-intensity
communication activities.
Communication
The scope in this section is restricted to exploring the
consumption of calls and messaging via the internet and
mobile apps. Over the course of a year, 29 percent more
Lebanese consumers reported an increase in their usage
of internet calls on mobile apps compared to global
usage, while 27 percent did so for instant messaging
over the same period. This points to a high appification
rate, with the mobile app usage gap between netizens
and networkers narrowing to as low as 5–6 percent. This
narrow gap is reflective of the high potential for instant
messaging to become mainstream in the near future.
ERICSSON CONSUMERLAB THE NETWORKED LIFE IN LEBANON 9
Changing
consumer behavior
Consumers in Lebanon are well connected with high
ownership of devices like smartphones, which in turn enables
higher consumption of digital products and services. Given
that they have started to adopt this lifestyle and participate
in more activities online, it would help to understand how
consumption behaviors are changing.
Netification:
An activity is ‘netified’ if over 40 percent of
internet users access the internet every other
time for activities included in the study
Appification:
An activity is ‘appified’ if more than 50 percent
report an increase in the app usage for the same
activities in the last year
Figure 6: Consumers reported an increase
in app usage since the previous year
Source: Ericsson ConsumerLab, The Networked Life in Lebanon, 2015
Base: Smartphone/tablet users who use the internet, aged 15–69 years
Lebanese consumers perform mainly
smartphone-based, low data-intensity
communication activities
51%
58%
80%
29%
27%
Internet calls Instant messaging
Global Lebanon Difference
85%

10. Healthcare
The internet is influencing the usage of healthcare activities
globally. Ericsson ConsumerLab measured the netification
of healthcare by analyzing internet usage for healthcare
appointment bookings and information research.
Over 47 percent of netizens and 31 percent of networkers
in Lebanon perceived internet-based services as beneficial.
Surprisingly, only 17 percent of consumers were concerned
about their personal details being recorded without their
permission, compared to 34 percent of global consumers.
This could indicate a high potential for migration of healthcare
activities online.
Among netizens, only 19 percent book healthcare
appointments online, while 17 percent searched for
healthcare information online at least 50 percent of the
times they performed these healthcare-related activities.
Netizens have reported an increase in mobile app usage for
instant messages and internet calls of 90 percent compared
to last year. This is significantly higher than the global
figures for internet calls (59 percent) and instant messaging
(63 percent). Instant messaging is highly appified in Lebanon,
and is a popular medium for communication. This will enable
netification of messaging at a faster rate than global levels.
Also, narrow consumption gaps (13 percent for calls and
4 percent for messages) between the user groups and the
growing percentage of networkers indicate that they will
cross the chasm faster than their global counterparts
(who have a wide usage gap of 21 percent for calls and
10 percent for messages) for consumption of this activity.
10 ERICSSON CONSUMERLAB THE NETWORKED LIFE IN LEBANON
The internet
is influencing
the usage
of healthcare
activities globally
Figure 7: Communication consumption behavior
Source: Ericsson ConsumerLab, The Networked Life in Lebanon, 2015
Base: Smartphone/tablet users who use the internet, aged 15–69 years
84%
85%
90% 90%
80%
85%
Internet calls Instant messaging
Networkers Netizens Overall
Percentage of consumers who have reported
increased yearly usage of mobile apps
Source: Ericsson ConsumerLab,The Networked Life in Lebanon, 2015
Base: Internet users, aged 15–69 years
32%
21%
19%
17%
25%
22%
Calls Messages
Percentage of consumers who perform
50 percent or more of these activities online
Netizens have reported an increase
in mobile app usage for instant
messages and internet calls of
90 percent compared to last year

11. ERICSSON CONSUMERLAB THE NETWORKED LIFE IN LEBANON 11
impact on
consumption
Consumers in Lebanon feel that changing internet and mobile
app usage patterns will make their lives simpler and more
efficient. Networkers make up a substantial fraction of the
population at 36 percent, and their increased device and
internet usage and growing interest in shared and connected
lifestyles will impact overall participation levels.
Mobile app usage is driving greater use of communication
services in Lebanon compared to global levels. Due to the
high levels of mobile broadband connectivity, mobile apps
can impact the consumption of various other activities,
including healthcare.
The positive attitude of Lebanese networkers will also help
simplify the ‘crossing of the chasm’, enabling them to join
the netizens quicker than their global counterparts. These
attitudes and behaviors suggest that industries in Lebanon
must become agile enough to meet the changing demands
of their consumer groups. Organizations that are quick to
respond and adapt to changing consumer usage behaviors
will transform faster.
Mobile app usage is driving greater
consumption of communication activities
in Lebanon compared to global levels

12. RMEA-16:003634 Uen
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