8153.0 - Internet Activity, Australia, Dec 2009 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 30/03/2010   
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NOTES


INTRODUCTION

  • The Internet Activity Survey (IAS) collects details on aspects of internet access services provided by Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in Australia.
  • This release contains results from all ISPs operating in Australia with more than 1,000 active subscribers as at 31 December 2009.
  • Active subscribers are defined as subscribers who have accessed the internet or paid for access to the internet during the three months ending 31 December 2009. Counts of subscribers are not the same as counts of people/organisations with internet access, as subscribers may have accounts with more than one ISP or multiple accounts with a single ISP.
  • This is an electronic release of Internet Activity, Australia. More detailed and historical information is available in the accompanying datacubes.
  • The IAS collected wireless connections to the internet via a mobile telephone for the first time in December 2009. However, these data will not be released until providers are able to supply accurate and reliable information, and the ABS is satisfied with the quality of the data.


HIGHLIGHTS
  • At the end of December 2009, there were 9.1 million active internet subscribers in Australia.
  • The phasing out of dial-up internet connections continued with nearly 90% of internet connections now being non dial-up. Australians also continued to access higher download speeds, with 62% of access connections having a download speed of 1.5Mbps or greater.
  • Digital subscriber line (DSL) continued to be the major technology for connections, accounting for 51% of non dial-up connections. However, this percentage share has decreased since June 2009 when DSL represented 57% of non dial-up connections.
  • Mobile wireless via a datacard, dongle or USB modem was the fastest growing technology in internet connections, increasing to 2.8 million in December 2009. This represents a 40% increase from June 2009.
Diagram: HIGHLIGHTS

(a)Prior to December 2008, 'Other' includes satellite, cable and fibre.


ROUNDING
  • Where figures have been rounded, discrepancies may occur between the sum of components and the total. Proportions have been calculated using unrounded data.


REVISIONS
  • Volume of data downloaded by dial-up connections have been revised for June 2009. This is a result of incorrect data reported, identified through improved questionnaire design in the December 2009 quarter. It is feasible that this figure is also overstated for survey cycles prior to June 2009.
  • Mobile wireless and fixed wireless access connections have been revised for December 2008 and June 2009 following a reclassification for some subscribers from fixed to mobile wireless.
  • Business and government dial-up subscribers has been revised for December 2008 to correct a rounding error.
  • December 2008 and June 2009 data for SPAM and Other services have been revised as a result of improved calculation methodology.

Internet Activity Summary, Australia, for ISPs with more than 1,000 active subscribers

Dec 2008
Jun 2009
Dec 2009

Number of ISPs(a)
Medium no.
88
68
65
Large no.
27
29
29
Very Large no.
11
12
10
Total ISPs no.
126
109
104
Subscribers
Dial-up
Business and government '000
230
215
193
Household '000
1 060
887
747
All dial-up subscribers '000
1 290
1 103
941
Non dial-up
Business and government '000
r1 065
1 174
1 460
Household '000
5 569
6 144
6 712
All non dial-up subscribers '000
6 634
7 317
8 172
Total
Business and government '000
1 295
1 389
1 653
Household '000
6 629
7 031
7 459
Total subscribers '000
7 925
8 420
9 112
Access connections
Dial-up
Analog '000
1 272
1 077
925
Other '000
13
10
2
All dial-up connections '000
1 286
1 087
927
Non dial-up
DSL '000
4 176
4 171
4 193
Cable and fibre '000
913
931
935
Satellite '000
79
90
107
Fixed wireless '000
r85
r97
107
Mobile wireless '000
r1 368
r2 024
2 838
Other '000
17
20
5
All non dial-up connections '000
6 639
7 333
8 184
Total access connections '000
7 925
8 420
9 112
Download speeds
Less than 256kbps '000
1 293
1 103
941
Broadband
256kbps to less than 512kbps '000
1 442
1 297
1 108
512kbps to less than 1.5Mbps '000
1 165
1 249
1 370
1.5Mbps to less than 8Mbps '000
2 002
2 529
3 194
8Mbps to less than 24 Mbps '000
1 650
1 800
1 989
24Mpbs or greater '000
373
443
511
Broadband (256kbps or greater) '000
6 632
7 317
8 172
Total download speeds '000
7 925
8 420
9 112
Volume of data downloaded(b)
Dial-up TBs
1 079
r466
325
Broadband
Fixed line broadband(c) TBs
na
na
114 426
Wireless broadband(d) TBs
na
na
20 923
Total broadband TBs
na
na
135 349
Total download volume TBs
81 352
r99 249
135 674

na not available
r revised
(a) See paragraph 8 of the Explanatory Notes for ISP size categories.
(b) Data collected for the 3 month period prior to the reference date.
(c) Fixed line broadband includes DSL, cable, fibre and other wired broadband.
(d) Wireless broadband includes satellite, fixed wireless, mobile wireless via a datacard, dongle or USB modem and other wireless broadband. Excludes subscriptions via a mobile hand-set.



INQUIRIES

For further information about these and related statistics, contact the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070 or Clair Phillips on Perth (08) 9360 5303.