ABS Reveals New Broadband Internet Statistics
21 December 2009 at 3:15 pm
This is an increase of 700,000 households or 16% on the previous year – nearly two-thirds (62%) of all households now have broadband.
The Australian Capital Territory continues to have the highest proportion of broadband connections, with nearly three-quarters (74%) of ACT households now connected. Lowest is Tasmania, at just under half (49%).
There are 6.4 million households with a computer; 5.9 million of these have internet access. This is an increase of 4.8 million connected households since 1998.
The ABS also found that households with children under 15 were more likely to have broadband access (77%) compared to households without (56%).
Nearly three-quarters (73%) of children accessed the internet from home, and almost one-third (31%) had their own mobile phones.
Children used the internet for educational activities (85%) and playing on-line games (69%). About half of older children (48%) used the internet to visit social networking sites and a further quarter (24%) created their own on-line content such as blogs or websites.
An estimated 72,000 children experienced personal safety or security problems on the internet, while 28,000 children had similar problems while using mobiles.
Further details ago to Household Use of Information Technology, Australia 2008-09 (cat. no. 8146.0) at www.abs.gov.au.
