ICT usage in enterprises, 2004

Since the calculation of Internet turnover is based on observations with great variation, the uncertainty is larger than for results presented in proportions. Uncertainty in the data can bring large yearly fluctuations. In this publication Statistics Norway has not included financial intermediation in the volume of Internet turnover.

It is not uncommon to divide the Internet turnover of enterprises in two areas: business-to-business and business-to-consumer. The survey shows that Internet sales from business-to-business are far more important than sale from enterprise-to-consumer. In 2003 the bulk of the Internet turnover, 76 per cent, came from other enterprise. Private consumers and "Other" made up 21 and 3 per cent respectively of total Internet turnover.

In 2003 most of the Internet turnover was created in the home market. 90 per cent of the Internet turnover came from Norway while exports made up a total of 10 per cent. Almost all exports went to the combined area "EU/EFTA/EEA".

Unchanged diffusion of Internet access

The diffusion of Internet access among larger enterprises has reached its saturation. Since 1998 the proportion of enterprises with Internet access increased strongly. In 1998 not more than 40 per cent of the enterprises were connected to the Internet. In the first quarter of 2003 87 per cent of all enterprises with at least 10 employees reported having Internet access. In the first quarter of 2004 the proportion with access to the Internet was still stable, 84 per cent. The decline in Internet access is within the statistical uncertainty of the sample survey.

Internet access measured above is based on the number of enterprises with access to Internet. The survey also shows that in the first quarter of 2004 half of the employees used PC with access to the Internet (in enterprises with at least ten employees).

Internet less common among small enterprises

3 out of 4 enterprises with 5-9 employees had Internet access in the first quarter of 2004. That figure equals the situation in the first quarter of 2003. Among small enterprises Internet access were most uncommon in hotels and restaurants. In this industry 56 per cent of the enterprises had Internet access. Not more than 45 per cent of the employees in small enterprises used PC with access to the Internet in the first quarter of 2004.

One third has broadband

Because several enterprises have more than one type of connection to the Internet, proportions for Internet connections exceed the proportion for Internet access. This survey asked enterprises if they were connected to Internet via various DSL-technologies or other types connections with transmission capacity of at least 2 Mbit per second. Many define broadband as transmission capacity of at least 2 Mbit per second. According to this definition 33 per cent of all enterprises with at least 10 employees had broadband in the first quarter of 2004. The proportion increased from 26 per cent in the first quarter of 2003.

Many other European countries produce statistics about ICT usage in enterprises in cooperation with EUs statistical office Eurostat. The plan for this survey is adapted to Eurostat guidelines. Internationally comparable figures can be found here .

Tables:

• Table 1 Proportion of all enterprises with Internet access, by employment groups, area of industry and counties. 1998-2004. Per cent
• Table 2 Proportion of all small enterprises (5-9 employees) with Internet access, by area of industry. 2001-2004. Per cent
• Table 3 Proportion of all enterprises with different types of Internet connections, by employment groups and area of industry. 2004. Per cent
• Table 4 Proportion of all small enterprises (5-9 employees) with different types of Internet connections, by area of industry. 2004. Per cent
• Table 5 Proportion of all enterprises with broadband, by employment groups and area of industry. 2001-2004. Per cent
• Table 6 Proportion of all enterprises with permanent connection with less transmission capacity than 2 Mbit per second, by employment groups and area of industry. 2001-2004. Per cent
• Table 7 Proportion of all enterprises with homepage, by employment groups, area of industry and counties. 1998-2004. Per cent
• Table 8 Internet sales. Proportion of all enterprises with turnover from sales via Internet. Enterprises with 10+ employees. 1998-2003. Per cent
• Table 9 Proportion of all enterprises with various security measures. 2003-2004. Per cent (Corrected 9 May 2005)
• Table 10 Proportion of all employees which used PC with Internet access, by employment groups, area of industry and county. 2000-2004. Per cent