Mobile-only Australia – living without a fixed line at home: Methodology

Mobile-only for voice

People with a mobile phone and no fixed-line phone at home.

Mobile-only for internet

People who go online at home using mobile broadband or mobile phones. They have no fixed internet connection at home.

Mobile-only for voice and internet

People who use a mobile device, such as mobile broadband or mobile phones, for both voice and internet at home. They have no fixed-line phone or internet connection at home.

We sourced the data in the Mobile-only Australia report from Roy Morgan Research’s Single Source survey. The data has been extracted from the Roy Morgan Research’s Single Source database to June 2020.

All figures refer to 12-month periods. This is either to the end of June (financial year), or to the end of December (calendar year).

The data is based on interviews with Australians aged 18 and over conducted between January 2014 and June 2020. This is weighted to represent approximately 18.2 million Australians as at December 2014 and up to 19.8 million Australians as at June 2020 (see table below).

View more information about Roy Morgan population estimates.

For each database update, Roy Morgan Research perform the weighting process on the full database. This may result in revisions in the weighted count estimates compared to previous versions of this report.

Table 1:  Total population estimates for Australian adults aged 18 and over

Data period	Population estimate
Financial year
Jul 2019­­–Jun 2020	19,818,000
Jul 2018–Jun 2019	19,497,000
Jul 2017–Jun 2018	19,132,000
Jul 2016–Jun 2017	18,771,000
Jul 2015–Jun 2016	18,504,000
Jul 2014–Jun 2015	18,291,000
Calendar year
Jan–Dec 2019	19,670,000
Jan–Dec 2018	19,321,000
Jan–Dec 2017	18,941,000
Jan–Dec 2016	18,621,000
Jan–Dec 2015	18,406,000
Jan–Dec 2014	18,195,000

Source: Roy Morgan Single Source

 

The tables below show the Roy Morgan Single Source research sample sizes for the periods used in the report.

Table 2:   Research sample sizes of Australians aged 18 and over in the 12 months to June for each year (‘000)

Data period	Total	Mobile-only for voice	Mobile-only for internet	Mobile only for voice and internet
Jul 2019–Jun 2020	14,389	6,395	2,103	1,423
Jul 2018–Jun 2019	13,814	4,829	2,378	1,510
Jul 2017–Jun 2018	14,056	4,088	2,289	1,240
Jul 2016–Jun 2017	13,884	3,466	2,692	1,300
Jul 2015–Jun 2016	14,300	3,247	2,263	1,035
Jul 2014–Jun 2015	15,241	3,395	1,808	836

Source: Roy Morgan Single Source

 

Table 3:   Research sample sizes of Australians aged 18 and over, in the 12 months to December for each year (‘000)

Data period	Total	Mobile-only for voice	Mobile-only for internet	Mobile only for voice and internet
Jan–Dec 2019	12,968	5,148	2,240	1,521
Jan–Dec 2018	14,224	4,480	2,352	1,390
Jan–Dec 2017	14,422	3,771	2,506	1,252
Jan–Dec 2016	13,717	3,206	2,745	1,274
Jan–Dec 2015	14,674	3,286	1,715	788
Jan–Dec 2014	15,245	3,613	1,924	904

Source: Roy Morgan Single Source

 

Table 4:   Research sample sizes in the 12 months to June each year, by age group (‘000)

Age group	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020
18–24	796	768	790	812	729	844
25–34	1,739	1,465	1,393	1,390	1,252	1,606
35–44	1,506	1,346	1,152	1,154	997	1,579
45–54	2,226	2,087	1,746	1,696	1,687	1,865
55–64	3,416	3,220	3,066	2,971	2,965	2,915
65–74	3,653	3,569	3,727	3,785	3,876	3,502
75+	1,905	1,845	2,010	2,248	2,308	2,078

Source: Roy Morgan Single Source

 

Table 5:   Research sample sizes in the 12 months to December each year, by age group (‘000)

Age group	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019
18–24	903	794	714	866	772	698
25–34	1,974	1,604	1,380	1,390	1,362	1,206
35–44	1,590	1,422	1,190	1,171	1,073	1,068
45–54	2,322	2,166	1,857	1,719	1,723	1,620
55–64	3,362	3,244	3,099	3,133	3,004	2,779
65–74	3,384	3,536	3,640	3,924	3,922	3,442
75+	1,710	1,908	1,837	2,219	2,368	2,155

Source: Roy Morgan Single Source

 

Table 6:   Research sample sizes of Australians aged 18 and over in the 12 months to June each year, by gender (‘000)

Gender	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020
Men	6,463	6,148	5,912	5,942	5,997	6,467
Women	8,778	8,152	7,972	8,114	7,817	7,922

Source: Roy Morgan Single Source

 

Table 7:   Research sample sizes of Australians aged 18 and over in the 12 months to December each year, by gender (‘000)

Gender	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019
Men	6,526	6,243	5,870	6,051	6,128	5,795
Women	8,719	8,431	7,847	8,371	8,096	7,173

Source: Roy Morgan Single Source

 

Table 8:   Research sample sizes of Australians aged 18 and over in the 12 months to June each year, by location (‘000)

Location	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020
Capital cities	8,319	7,146	7,577	8,013	7,644	8,704
Regional areas	6,922	7,154	6,307	6,043	6,170	5,685

Note: ‘Capital cities’ refers to those who live in Australian capital cities, excluding Darwin. ‘Regional areas’ refers to those who live outside Australian capital cities but includes Darwin.

Source: Roy Morgan Single Source

Table 9:    Research sample sizes of Australians aged 18 and over in the 12 months to December each year, by location (‘000)

Location	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019
Capital cities	8,449	7,476	7,077	8,198	8,013	7,162
Regional areas	6,796	7,198	6,640	6,224	6,211	5,806

Note: ‘Capital cities’ refers to those who live in Australian capital cities, excluding Darwin. ‘Regional areas’ refers to those who live outside Australian capital cities but includes Darwin.

Source: Roy Morgan Single Source

Table 10: Research sample sizes of Australians aged 18 and over in the 12 months to June each year, by income band (‘000)

Income band	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020
<$50,000	10,898	10,022	9,886	9,754	9,434	8,785
$50,000–$99,999	3,173	3,103	2,897	3,126	3,021	3,736
$100,000–$149,999	854	817	814	836	992	1,313
$150,000+	316	358	287	340	367	555

Note: Income is gross annual individual income.

Source: Roy Morgan Single Source

Table 11: Research sample sizes of Australians aged 18 and over in the 12 months to December each year, by income band (‘000)

Income band	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019
<$50,000	10,890	10,447	9,683	10,170	9,809	8,474
$50,000–$99,999	3,202	3,063	2,918	3,086	3,150	2,978
$100,000–$149,999	837	837	787	857	913	1,079
$150,000+	316	327	329	309	352	437

Note: Income is gross annual individual income.

Source: Roy Morgan Single Source

Table 12: Research sample sizes of Australians aged 18 and over in the 12 months to June each year, by education level (‘000)

Education level	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020
Primary school	262	233	246	215	249	140
Some secondary/Tech.	2,200	2,052	2,115	2,095	1,954	1,663
Intermediate/Form 4/Year 10	1,722	1,650	1,519	1,529	1,423	1,239
5th form/Leaving/Year 11	830	786	782	731	698	661
Finished Tech./Matric/HSC/Year 12	2,803	2,357	2,345	2,371	2,310	2,515
Some/now at university	1,177	1,162	1,033	1,071	1,031	1,132
Have diploma or degree	6,247	6,060	5,844	6,044	6,149	7,039

Note: Education level refers to the highest level of education reached by respondent.

Source: Roy Morgan Single Source

Table 13: Research sample sizes of Australians aged 18 and over in the 12 months to December each year, by education level (‘000)

Education level	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019
Primary school	306	241	214	247	254	183
Some secondary/Tech.	2,167	2,089	2,016	2,182	2,090	1,756
Intermediate/Form 4/Year 10	1,657	1,753	1,573	1,535	1,466	1,275
5th form/Leaving/Year 11	828	810	758	806	722	625
Finished Tech./Matric/HSC/Year 12	2,845	2,563	2,234	2,465	2,390	2,196
Some/now at university	1,223	1,157	1,092	1,081	1,083	977
Have diploma or degree	6,219	6,061	5,830	6,106	6,219	5,956

Note: Education level refers to the highest level of education reached by respondent.

Source: Roy Morgan Single Source

Table 14: Research sample sizes of Australians aged 18 and over in the 12 months to June each year, by living arrangement (‘000)

Living arrangement	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020
Live alone	3,678	3,409	3,558	3,726	3,741	3,504
Partner and no children	5,622	5,497	5,334	5,146	5,274	5,044
Partner and children	3,341	3,078	2,656	2,736	2,491	3,110
Single parent	772	681	649	678	629	704
With parents	706	678	712	772	659	805
Boarder	74	56	67	57	52	55
Shared household	831	713	735	704	770	955
Other/can't say	217	188	173	237	198	212

Note: 'Boarders' are not shown in the report due to low sample size (<100 interviews).

Source: Roy Morgan Single Source

Table 15: Research sample sizes of Australians aged 18 and over in the 12 months to December each year, by living arrangement (‘000)

Living arrangement	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019
Live alone	3,564	3,522	3,431	3,722	3,840	3,430
Partner and no children	5,361	5,569	5,359	5,392	5,382	4,758
Partner and children	3,577	3,155	2,703	2,806	2,619	2,558
Single parent	807	709	649	688	640	631
With parents	698	723	659	784	736	591
Boarder	70	61	62	74	51	46
Shared household	943	732	687	745	739	773
Other/can't say	225	203	167	211	217	181

Note: 'Boarders' are not shown in the report due to low sample size (<100 interviews).

Source: Roy Morgan Single Source

Table 16: Research sample sizes of Australians aged 18 and over in the 12 months to June each year, by parents with children living at home (‘000)

	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020
Children aged ≤5	1,326	1,160	1,039	1,056	927	1,046
Children aged 6–11	1,369	1,307	1,123	1,141	1,038	1,178
Children aged 12–17	1,270	1,186	975	977	879	1,051
Children aged 18+	1,683	1,495	1,432	1,590	1,421	1,518
Total parents with children living at home	4,273	3,903	3,503	3,618	3,271	3,478

Note: Age groups are not mutually exclusive as parents may have children in more than one age group.

Source: Roy Morgan Single Source

Table 17: Research sample sizes of Australians aged 18 and over in the 12 months to December each year, by parents with children living at home (‘000)

	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019
Children aged ≤5	1,507	1,256	1,022	1,091	979	925
Children aged 6–11	1,494	1,319	1,144	1,184	1,062	1,065
Children aged 12–17	1,341	1,221	1,013	1,005	933	913
Children aged 18+	1,743	1,547	1,388	1,602	1,504	1,430
Total parents with children living at home	4,583	4,017	3,499	3,720	3,431	3,321

Note: Age groups are not mutually exclusive as parents may have children in more than one age group.

Source: Roy Morgan Single Source

The key findings in the Mobile-only Australia report describe the data and show how we interpret it.

Results from the data sets were analysed using:

• descriptive analysis techniques
• demographic, geographic and socio-economic factors.

This helps us identify areas with significant patterns or differences.

Estimates of the number of people are rounded to the nearest 1,000 people.

All percentages have been rounded to the nearest whole number.

Base sizes represent the unweighted count of respondents on which the weighted estimates and proportions are based. Underneath each chart there is a reference to the relevant research sample size table on the methodology page.

Categories with low sample sizes (less than n=100 interviews) are not shown.