Internet users spend 17.6 hours per week online

Internet users spent an average of 17.6 hours per week online during 2009, an increase of 9% from the previous year and 28.5% from 2007, the latest Nielsen internet and technology report has revealed.

The report also shows 84% of Australians use the internet, with 93% using it at home. Of those 93%, 98% have broadband connections, and spend about an average of 19.7 hours per week online.

Other figures from the report show that the average time internet users spent watching television rose from 12.9 hours to 13.4 hours, with radio listening time also increasing to 9.3 hours.

But the time spent reading books has also increased from an average of 5.1 hours to 5.6 hours, but the time spent reading magazines has remained steady at two hours.

The report used research based on responses from 2,371 people.