19% of Americans have tried video calls or video chat or teleconferencing online and on cell phones

Almost a fifth of American adults – 19% – have tried video calling either online or via their cell phones. These figures translate into 23% of internet users and 7% of cell phone owners who have participated in video calls, chats, or teleconferences.

In the internet realm, the video-calling has risen modestly from 20% of internet users in April 2009 to 23% of internet users in the summer 2010 survey. On any given day, 4% of internet users are participating in video calls, video chat, or teleconferencing, up from 2% in April 2009.

Some of the key findings in the most recent survey related to online video calls, which are conducted by 23% of the adults who are internet users:

• Video calling online is especially appealing to upscale users. A third of internet users (34%) living in households earning $75,000 or above have participated in such calls or chats, compared with 18% of those earning less than $75,000.
• Younger internet users are considerably more likely to conduct video calls. Some 29% of the internet users ages 18-29 have participated in video calls or chats or teleconferences, compared with 15% of internet users age 65 or older.
• Online men are more likely than online women to participate in online video calls (26% vs. 20%).
• Urban internet users (27%) and suburban users (23%) are significantly more likely than rural users (12%) to have participated in video calls, chats, or teleconferences.
• On a typical day, 4% of internet users participate in video calls, chats, or teleconferences. That is a uptick from the Project’s April 2009 survey, when 2% of internet users reported participating in online video exchanges.

Some of the key findings in the most recent survey related to video calls on cell phones, which are conducted by 7% of the adults who cell phone owners:

• Cell-owning blacks are more likely than whites to participate in video calls, chats, or teleconferences (10% vs. 5%).
• Those in upper-income households are more likely than others to participate in video calls (10% of cell owners in households earning over $75,000 participate in such calls, compared to 6% who live in households earning less than $75,000.
• Cell owners under age 50 are more likely than those over age 50 to have participated in such video calls (8% vs. 4%).

This is still pretty small, but It’s growing. The more opportunity there is for videoconferencing, them more it will be done. While I don’t see a huge need for mobile videoconferencing, I think that is the technology that will put usage over the top.