Promising findings have come from a report which studied the level to which e-commerce in Bermuda has penetrated the business sector and the community at large, which was released by the government on Thursday.
In 2007, the Department of E-Commerce commissioned a local research company to establish a benchmark view of Bermuda residents’ and businesses’ competencies and attitudes towards Information Communications Technology (ICT) over a three-year period.
“Given the important role that technology plays and its increasing socio-economic impact both locally and globally, it is vital that a current and comprehensive assessment of the adoption of ICT in Bermuda is undertaken,” said Terry Lister, Minister of Telecommunications and E-Commerce.
According to the 2008 study the overall adoption rate of telecommunication devices continues to be high.
On the corporate side, nearly all Bermudan companies surveyed have computers. Consistent with last year, almost all firms (95%) have internet access with a high-speed connection, however T1 lines or greater accounted for just 18%. 58% of employees are considered to be competent or skilled at using computers, up 5% from last year. Corporate cell phone and mobile device ownership continued to show an increase this year from 75% to 85%. Companies tended to own more mobile devices in 2008, from 49% in 2007 to 63%.
90% of Bermudan households own a computer, up from 87% in 2007. The vast majority (84%) of households access the internet, and consistent with last year’s results, out of those that have internet access 81% have a high speed internet connection (DSL, Cable or wireless). In 2008, 94% of Bermudan households own a cell phone and this year, residents owned a larger proportion of mobile devices such as BlackBerries, increasing from 16% in 2007 to 32%.
Regarding residents’ online habits, consistent with 2007, the most regularly used online activities include using search engines, looking for travel information, and researching products or services and online shopping.
Minister of Energy, Telecommunications and E-Commerce, Terry Lister said: “The study shows that in some areas, such as computer or cell phone ownership, we remain among the highest in the world and there has also been an improvement in the uptake of technology skills. However the learning curve regarding technology is constant and therefore a strong focus on the technology agenda must be maintained, in order for Bermuda to continue to emulate global best practices and remain competitive. Technology is a powerful instrument for personal, professional and economic empowerment. We must continue to ensure that no one in Bermuda is left behind as technology increasingly affects the lives of everyone, everywhere, everyday.”
The Minister added that the study would be used to develop legislative, policy and program initiatives in areas like online security.
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