Spain : Technology consumption of households grew by 8.3, despite the crisis

The use of services information technology and communication in the first quarter of the year was 3.497 million euros, or 8.3% over the same period last year, to Despite the economic crisis, according to Secretary of State stressed Telecommunications, Francisco Ros.

The head of Telecommunications and Information Society Francisco Ros, today presented the annual report of the Information Society in Spain 2008, edition 2009 and the first comprehensive analysis of the ICT sector activities since the Civil Service.

According to the report, most of the spending on technology services in the homes in the first quarter, fell to the mobile phone at 1570 million, 44.9 percent of the total, 1.8 points higher than a year ago when the company 1.397 million consumer.

Spending on fixed telephony services grew marginally to 1056, the Internet rose from 76 million to 550 and pay TV in 11 to 321 million.

Francisco Ros said the strength of the mobile phone that despite its high penetration in the population continues to grow (by 6% at 31 March 2009) and increased Internet use.

The report on the Network Society shows that 24.3 million people over ten years were Internet users by March 2009, 60.5 percent of the population, which is ten points higher than the European average.

However, the number of households connected to the Internet was still below the EU average by 9 points since the Internet had only 51 per cent.

The positive is that 88 percent of the Internet connections were broadband households, 8 points more than the EU average.

The secretary of state explained that the low figure of Internet in households may be affected by the fact that the percentage of older people who are connected to the network is still very low.

Regarding the field of Information Technology and Communication's first study indicates that the administration continues to grow with an increase of 1.5 percent in 2008 and a turnover of 114,320 million.

Ros explained that this turnover is increasing the weight of information technology with a 53% off telecoms with 34% (the rest are other services) and called it a "sound and consistent with the more advanced countries .

In 2008 the weight of the sector of Information Technology and Communications accounted for 5.9 percent of GDP compared to 5.2% in 2005.

In late 2008 the number of employees in the ICT sector was more than 407,295 people from 386,131 to 2007. Regarding business, the last data from 2007 and is 28,259, an increase of 27% in 2005-2006.

Counting The benefit for the other economic sectors, the total gross added value would be 246,160 million, or 22.5% of GDP and will rise to 1.5 million people working in the field, 7 , 5% of total employment.

Labor productivity in the sector rose 26% in the last three years, according to Secretary of State stressed.

The reports also reflect the state of eGovernment in Spain, an activity in which the country is in a good position and that 21 percent of the population over 15 years has interacted with the public administration through network occasion.

Regarding electronic signatures, Spain leads the world in the number of identifications issued 12 million electronic identity card and 2 million certificates and digital signatures.