Some stats out from Nielsen (via Marketing Charts) show that North Americans and Europeans are less enthusiastic adopters of mobile video than web users in other parts of the world.

If 100 is the global average, then the European Union scores 55, while North America comes out even worse at 45.   Compare that to Asia Pacific at 145 and the Middle East, Africa and Pakistan (why that combo?) at 136.

Why is this significant?  Because using mobile video is the tipping point at which people switch from their laptop or PC being their primary Internet device, to their mobile.

This is according to a study by Transpera a year ago, which showed that 62% of mobile video users use their mobile/cellphones to browse the Internet more than they use their computers.

Perhaps one reason for the North America and European figures could be down to increased data capping, with both AT&T in the US and the major UK operators having called time on unlimited mobile data.  If so, pricing is having a real impact on consumer behaviour and online habits.

Meanwhile in Japan, Softbank still allows unlimited data for its iPhone4 plans.   And with the Middle East being quick on the mobile video uptake, UAE telecoms company DU has an unlimited data plan with a ‘fair use’ policy of a whopping 10gb.   Compare that to the fair use policy of Orange in the UK of…750mb.

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Metrics company Comscore has come out with a study on global Internet use by hours spent surfing. Surprisingly, Microsoft’s range of websites – in particular Windows Live Messenger – leads, with 15% of time spent online globally.

However at the same time as Australian website Digital Media points out, YouTube and Facebook, arguably the two highest profile players in the social media category, took up almost 10% of the 27 billion global Internet hours people in Sept 09.

Looking at Facebook, its share of hours grew by 193%. It also over-indexes significantly in both Europe (6.6% share vs 5.1% globally), and the Middle East / Africa (where it has 8%).

It’s worth noting that Comscore’s data excluded time spent surfing from a mobile device. If that had been factored in, then Facebook’s share would almost certainly have been higher. According to Facebook’s Director of Mobile, Henri Moissinac, the network now has 65 million mobile users – or 25% of its total reach.

Recently, stats showed that Facebook had reached almost 100 million users in Europe. Though the UK is by far the leading territory with 20+ million plus users, the network showed particularly strong growth in Italy, Germany and Turkey.

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