Observation and Benchmarking News News
- Portuguese Youth 10 to 15 Years are Top Users of Computers and Internet
The use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) by the Portuguese youth 10 to 15 years old has increased quickly in recent years. A very complete perspective is provided over the new reality with the data reported below from three sources: (1) the survey on ICT use by families done in the 1st quarter of each year by Statistics Portugal (INE) in collaboration with the Knowledge Society Agency (UMIC); (2) the surveys held within thje EU Kids Online Project; (3) the surveys held within the OECD PISA – Programme for International Student Assessment. - Data on Information Society in Portugal 2010
The publication of the Information Society in Portugal 2010 ((i) Electronic Communications, (ii) Population and ICT, (iii) eGovernment, (iv) Education and ICT Training, (v) ICT in Hospitals, (vi) ICT in Enterprises, (vii) ICT in Hotel Units, (viii) e-Science: ICT in Scientific Research) provides a very complete view on the situation of the Information Society in Portugal in 2010 and its evolution in recent years. These data are compiled by the Knowledge Society Agency (UMIC) from several surveys of public responsibility, most of them on an annual basis, and they are published annually since 2006 in an integrated manner.
The data now published include time series since the beginning of the systematic phase of the corresponding surveys up to 2010, with the exception of the survey on ICT in Hotel Units whose latest data are for 2008 since it was decided that the following survey would be held in 2011 and thereafter every two years. The data also include benchmarking of several indicators in the Member States of the European Union (EU), in general based on EUROSTAT data. A summary of the main results follows this notice.
- Portugal Elected at OECD to Chair Group on Indicators for the Information Society
The President of The Knowledge Society Agency (UMIC), Luis Magalhães, was elected yesterday, 17.06.2010, chair of the WPIIS – Working Party on Indicators for the Information Society at the OECD in Paris. His mandate will commence on 1 January 2011.The WPIIS is one of four specialist groups set up under the committee dedicated to Information Society and Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) policies, the Committee for Information, Computer and Communications Policy (ICCP), of which the President of UMIC, Luis Magalhães, has been Vice-Chair since the beginning of 2009. - Main Measures and Outcomes 2005-2009
The Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education published a summary of the main measures and outcomes from 2005-2009 in the Ministry’s areas of responsibility. Science, Technology, Information Society and Higher Education - Main Measures and Results 2005-2009 (text in Portuguese).The document addresses the fields of Science and Technology, the Information Society and Higher Education successively.
- High computer and internet use in Portuguese hotels
A survey on ICT use in the important hotel establishments economic sector was conducted for the first time in 2008. It was staged in the scope of the cooperation agreement established between the INE – National Statistics Institute and The Knowledge Society Agency (UMIC) . The results of the survey, which was conducted in the last quarter of 2008, were the subject of an INE press flash and have now been published in more detail. Consequently, the compilation of data on the Information Society in Portugal 2008 was updated, including the results of various surveys carried out in 2008 by public bodies. Most of these are annual surveys and began to be published together in 2006. There is now a further chapter on Hotel Establishments.
The results of the survey on ICT use by hotels that are SMEs or large companies that was conducted in the last quarter of 2008 show a sector where computers and the Internet are used a great deal. These establishments include 970 companies, of which 74% are small (10 to 49 employees), 25% medium-sized (50 to 249 employees) and 1% large (250 or more employees).
- Highly Qualified Foreigners Attracted to Portugal more than Doubles from 2007 to 2008
In 2008 Portugal attracted 533 highly qualified foreigners from outside the European space, more than double that in 2007, according to data from the Contact Group set up in 2006 to promote and simplify the process of hiring teaching members of staff, researchers and other highly qualified foreigners, under the scope of the Simplex Programme.
The highly qualified foreigners who came to Portugal in 2008 originate from more than 40 countries, and in particular Brazil (223 visas granted), China (39 visas granted), India (34 visas granted) and the United States of America (24 visas granted).
- 13th Meeting of the OECD Working Party on Indicators for the Information Society
The 13th Meeting of the OECD Working Party on Indicators for the Information Society (WPIIS) of the OECD’s Information, Computers and Communication Policy Committee (ICCP) was held on 23rd – 24th April 2009 in Paris.
The meeting agenda included information and proposals from Member States on ICT measures, the potential for synergies between private and official statistics, the OECD’s Innovation Strategy, the response to the economic and financial crisis for sustainable recovery, the outcomes of the PISA study on ICT and education, the key factors for household spending on ICT, analysis of the role of ICT in transmitting knowledge, analysis of innovation encouraged by ICT, a proposal to update the definition of eCommerce, measuring the relationship between ICT and the environment, ICT statistics and global trade, ICT indicators in the health sectors and gauging the social impact of ICT.
- OECD Workshop on Measuring Mobile/Wireless Service Data
The OECD-ANACOM Expert Workshop on Measuring Mobile/Wireless Service Data was staged on 19th -20th February 2009 at Culturgest, Lisbon. It was organised in the scope of the WPCISP – Working Party on Communication Infrastructure and Services of the OECD’s ICCP – Information, Computer and Communication Policy Committee. The objective of this workshop is to produce a methodology to obtain data on wireless broadband service subscriptions, categorising bandwidth differences and data transfer limits, and comparing prices.
- New Survey Data about the Information Society in Portugal 2008
The 9 February 2009, saw the updating of published Internet data on the Information Society in Portugal ((i) Electronic Communications, (ii) ICT and the Population, (iii) electronic Public Administration, (iv) ICT Training and Education, (v) ICT in Hospitals, (vi) Digital Economy) obtained from various surveys carried out in 2008 by public bodies, mostly of an annual nature, and which have been jointly published for the last two years. The published data includes chronological series from the start of the systematic phase of the respective surveys and benchmarks various indicators at a European Union level based on EUROSTAT data. A summary of the main results will be included after this news item.
- Results of 2008 ICT Public Administration Surveys
The 30 December 2008 saw the publication of the results of the 2008 surveys concerning the use of ICT in Central Government, Regional Government and Local Authorities, carried out by Knowledge Society Agency (UMIC) from September to November 2008. These surveys had the highest return rates ever, 100%, 100% and 98%, respectively.
- R&D Activities in Portugal show the Largest Growth in any EU country
Portugal was the EU country which showed the largest growth in R&D expenditure in terms of GDP from 2005 to 2007, reaching 1.18% of GDP when in 2005 it was just 0.81% of GDP. Portugal is now close to Spain (1.22%) and Ireland (1.31%), and has passed Hungary (0.97%), Italy (1.09%) and Estonia (1.14%). R&D expenditure in terms of GDP more than doubled from to 2005 to 2007, reaching 0.61% of GDP when in 2005 it was just 0.29% of GDP. For the first time R&D expenditure in companies was greater than the amount recorded for other institutions. The number of companies with R&D activities showed unparalleled growth, rising from around 930 in 2005 to more than 1,500 in 2007.
There was a large increase in the number of researchers in the active population, rising from 3.8‰ in 2005 to 5.0‰ in 2007, with the number of researchers equivalent to full time posts doubling in the last ten years (from around 14 thousand in 1997 to around 28 thousand in 2007). The number of researchers in the active population is now close to the EU27 average (5.6‰), although this is still lower that the OCDE average (7.0‰).
The number of researchers in companies more than doubled from 2005 to 2007, moving from around 4 thousand to 8.6 thousand, and was accompanied by an increase in the number of researchers which companies stated as having PhDs (around 360 in 2007).
- Public Administration Information Technology Use 2007
All Central Government bodies have an Internet connection, 87% with a speed of or above 512 Kbps, while 63% of bodies have connections of or above 2 Mbps and there has been 29% growth over a year for this type of connection.
In terms of the online activities carried out by Central Government bodies, there was a significant increase from 2006 to 2007 in External Communication with Citizens (the percentage of bodies performing this activity more than doubled and is now 60%), External Communication with Companies (71% increase, now 65%) and Consultation of Procurement Catalogues (more than tripled, now 60%).
- New Data from Information Society in Portugal Surveys 2007
An updated compilation of data on the Information Society in Portugal will be posted on the Internet today. The data comes from different surveys that were conducted in 2007 under the responsibility of public bodies. Most of the surveys are annual and publication of all the data started a year ago. The published data includes chronological series from the start of the systematic phase of the respective surveys and benchmarks various indicators at European Union level based on EUROSTAT data. A summary of the main results will be included after this news item.
- Entreprise Information and Communication Technologies Use 2007
90% of all small, medium and large enterprises have Internet access, of which 77% have broadband.These figures increase to 98% and 89% for medium-sized enterprises, and to 100% and 97% for large enterprises.99% of enterprises in the financial sector have Internet access, 95% of which have broadband.
In the construction and retail sectors, there was a 33% increase in the number of enterprises with broadband connections from 2006 to 2007, and the percentage of construction enterprises with an Internet site grew 80%.
73% of all small, medium and large enterprises use the Internet to deal with the State, which corresponds to a 20% rise from 2006 to 2007. Internet use for dealing with the State has risen to 95% in the financial sector.
66% of small, medium and large enterprises from all sectors except the financial one fill in and send forms to the State online, which places Portugal in 3rd position in the EU27 for this indicator, hot on the heels of Finland and Ireland, and far above the EU27 average, which is 43%.The figure for this indicator in the financial sector has risen to 92%.
The INE – National Statistics Institute published an information note for the media on the 2007 Enterprise Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Use Survey (text in Portuguese) yesterday - 4th December 2007. This survey was conducted by this institute in conjunction with Knowledge Society Agency (UMIC). This survey, which is conducted yearly and in accordance with Eurostat’s methodological recommendations, refers to data from the 1st quarter of 2007.
- Family Information and Communication Technologies Use 2007
90% of people who have attended higher education, 81% of people with secondary schooling and 24% of people with the 9th year of education or less use the Internet .For these indicators, Portugal lies in 5th, 7th and 21st place in the EU respectively and in the first two cases only is placed alongside the Nordic countries, the Netherlands, Luxemburg, France and the United Kingdom.
97% and 99% of students use the Internet and computers respectively.Portugal lies in 8th and 4th place in the EU respectively for these indicators.These are signs that the Internet and computers have been introduced efficiently in schools.
77% of households with the Internet have a broadband connection.The number of households with broadband grew 27% last year.
- Enterprise ICT Use Data
98% of large enterprises (250 or more employees), 90% of medium-sized enterprises (between 50 and 249 employees) and 62% of small enterprises (between 10 and 49 employees) have a broadband Internet connection, putting Portugal in 3rd (alongside four other countries), 10th and 17th place respectively in the EU25 ranking.
100% of large enterprises, 99% of medium-sized enterprises use computers and have an Internet connection. 94% of small enterprises use computers and 80% have an Internet connection.
The first results from the Survey on enterprise Information and Communication Technology Use – 2006 from the INE – National Statistics Institute with the collaboration of the Knowledge Society Agency (UMIC), were published in an INE press release on 22nd December 2006.
- Central and Local Public Administration invests in Broadband
32% growth over the last year for Central Government bodies with a broadband connection of above 2 Mbps.
50% growth over the last year for Central Government bodies providing services online using information and functions stored on the databases of other bodies.
- Observing the Information Society in Portugal Seminar: State of Art
Use of computers by those with secondary and higher education is one of the highest in the EU25 - 87% and 91% respectively.
Use of the Internet by those with secondary and higher education is one of the highest in the EU25 - 80% and 87% respectively.
- Family ICT Use 2006
68% of households with the Internet have a broadband connection
Portugal overtakes Italy and Ireland in terms of households with broadband
The INE – National Statistics Institute released a statement to the media yesterday on the 2006 Survey on Use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) by Families, which was conducted in collaboration between this institute and the Knowledge Society Agency (UMIC). This survey, which is conducted yearly and in accordance with Eurostat’s methodological recommendations, refers to data from the 1st quarter of 2006.
- Portugal jumps 3 places in World ITC Use Ranking
The Lusa news agency published the following news item:
Geneva, 28 March (Lusa) – Portugal is in 27th place in the world ranking for Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) use in 2005. It rose 3 places from 2004, according to a report published today by the World Economic Forum.
- Public Administration invests in Broadband
100% central government bodies have an Internet connection, of which 85% have broadband.
100% of Municipal Councils also have an Internet connection, 95% of which have broadband.
The Knowledge Society Agency (UMIC) today publishes data on central and local government use of information and communication technologies in 2006, obtained from two surveys: one for Central Government and the other for Local Government.
- Enterprise ICT Use
Results from the 2005 Survey on enterprise ICT Use are now available. The survey was conducted by the INE - National Statistics Institute in conjunction with the Knowledge Society Agency (UMIC).
The Results from the 2005 Survey on Financial Sector enterprise ICT Use (text in Portuguese) and the Results from the 2005 Survey on Financial Sector enterprise ICT Use Results from the 2005 Survey on Micro enterprise ICT Use (text in Portuguese) are also available.
- Health Portals get more hits in 2005 than online radio and TV
The Diário de Notícias newspaper carried the following news item:
31.3% of Internet users searched for health information in the first quarter of 2005.
- Europe faces Digital Divide worsened by Age, Income and Education
TekSapo published the following news item:
The majority of Europeans who use the Internet are young (85 percent) in comparison to a minority of adults over 55 (13 percent). Income and education are some of the other factors that determine Europeans’ use of the Internet. The data originates from a Eurostat study that analysed 25 European Union countries between April and June 2004, reaching the conclusion that there is a "digital divide” in Europe.
- Portugal is the EU country with the greatest disparity in internet use
The Lusa news agency published the following news item:
Portugal is the European Union (EU) country where there is the greatest disparity in Internet use based on users' skills, according to a Eurostat study published today in Brussels. In the first quarter of 2004, only 14 percent of Portuguese people who had not completed the 12th Year of schooling accessed the Internet, whereas 84 percent of people who had attended higher education used the Web – a difference of 70 percentage points, the greatest in all the EU. The EU average is 52 percentage points.
- Broadband to reach 50% of households in Portugal in 2010
Diário Digital published the following news item:
Broadband in Portugal has one of the lowest penetration rates in Europe. However, even though the current constraints that lead to slow growth still remain, penetration may reach 50% of the market in 2010, according to a study by the Arthur D. Little firm, published by the Competition Authority (AdC) on Tuesday.
- Cable TV Penetration hits 29% in Portuguese Households
Casa dos Bits/TeKsapo published the following news item:
Growth rates are much lower than those of a few years ago, but cable television networks continue to add clients for their services, as is borne out by the figures revealed today by Anacom.
- 3rd Iberian-American Seminar on Information Society Indicators, 29th and 30th September
RICYT, Red Iberoamericana de Indicadores de Ciencia y Tecnologia (site in Spanish) and the Research and Study Centre in Sociology / Employment and enterprise Science Institute (CIES/ISCTE), with the support of the Knowledge Society Agency (UMIC), Science and Higher Education Observatory (OCES) (site in Portuguese) and INE - National Statistics Institute (INE), are organising the 3rd Iberian-American Seminar on Information Society Indicators.
- Internet Assumes Crucial Role in the Hotel Business in Portugal
Casa dos Bits/TeKsapo published the following news item:
A study carried out by Vector 21 for Unicre confirms the significant role the Internet is assuming in the Tourism sector. According to data collected in a survey conducted on a sample of hotel customers in Lisbon, Porto and the Algarve, approximately 78.6 percent of customers said they used the Internet, while more than 50 percent stated they had become aware of the hotel in question via the Web and 44.8 of these booked online.