[news release] During 2007/08, an additional 800,000 Australian households signed up for Broadband Internet, according to figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.As of June 30 2008 the total Broadband connections were at 4.3 million (52% of all households), an increase of 22% on last years total.The Australian Capital Territory has the highest proportion of Broadband connections, at 68% of households while Tasmania (39%) and South Australia (42%) were the lowest. Other states ranged from 51 to 55%.Three-quarters (6.2 million) of Australian households have access to a computer, and 5.5 million of these have Internet access. This is more than a five-fold increase in the number of household Internet connections over the last ten years.Socio-economic characteristics of households continue to influence the rate of computer, Internet and Broadband connections across Australia. For example, in relation to Broadband access:
- Metropolitan areas had considerably higher proportion of Broadband connections (57%) than other areas (43%).
- Households with children under 15 had higher Broadband access (67%) compared to households without (46%).
- Those households with an income of $120,000 had substantially higher rates of access (81%) than households incomes of less than $40,000 (38%).
The publication also provided some information on time spent by Australians using information technology, for work or leisure purposes. During 2006, the average time spent by persons aged 15 years and over who used the Internet was just over one hour per day (excluding Internet use during work hours). 6% of employed adults had an agreement with their employer to access their computer systems via a modem so that they could work from home.These agreements were more prevalent amongst full-time workers, those employed in the public sector and those in a household with children under the age of 15.
http://abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/latestProducts/8146.0Media%20Release12007-08Household Use of Information Technology, Australia, 2007-08: Main findings – Household access to computers and the internet
In 2007-08, 67% of Australian households had home Internet access and 75% of households had access to a computer. Between 1998 to 2007-08, household access to the Internet at home has more than quadrupled from 16% to 67%, while access to computers has increased by 31 percentage points to 75%.In 2007-08, the number of households with a Broadband Internet connection increased by 22% from the previous year, to an estimated 4.3 million households. This represents over half (52%) of all households in Australia and 78% of households who have Internet access. A small proportion of respondents (1%) did not know the type of their internet connection at home.
http://abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/8146.0Australia still lagging behind in broadband stakes
Broadband internet connections in Australia have jumped by 22 per cent in the past year, but there are still concerns about internet speed.The latest ABS data shows 4.3 million households have broadband internet connections, up by almost a quarter on last year.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/12/18/2450620.htmau: Tas computer use lagging behind
New figures from the Bureau of Statistics show Tasmania’s rate of internet access is the lowest in the country, for broadband in particular.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/12/19/2450847.htm