Convergence Letter 24: Desperately seeking seniors
Our Convergence Letters are published every two months. They mainly focus on issues about Telecoms, Media and Utilities, and they address topics as diverse as sustainable development or distribution.
In our ageing societies, the senior citizens market is often presented as an amazing gold mine for ICTs. According to the UN, there will be more older people than children under 5 in 2050! Yet the "senior citizens" category conceals a complex reality. Senior citizens do of course have more freedom, higher purchasing power, etc. but in telecoms, for example, two thirds of them are impervious to new technologies.
If businesses want to penetrate this mystery, they must take account of three analysis criteria: whether or not they are in paid employment, mobile phone/internet connectivity and dependence.
