BROADBAND CONNECTION TYPE AND BUSINESS INTERNET ACTIVITIES

Main Type of Broadband Connection Used

Overall, 95% of businesses had internet access as at 30 June 2014. Of these, 99% had a broadband connection. Businesses using broadband were asked to specify the main type of broadband connection in use as at 30 June 2014.

Of businesses with broadband as their main type of internet connection, Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) was the most common (68%). Over half of businesses with 200 or more persons employed used DSL as their main type of connection, making businesses this size the least likely to use this type of broadband connection. However, businesses with 200 or more persons employed were over three times more likely to have Fibre To The Premises (FTTP) as their main type of connection (24%) than businesses in any other employment size range.

Main type of broadband connection used, by employment size(a)(b), 2013-14
		0-4 persons	5-19 persons	20-199 persons	200 or more persons	Total
		%	%	%	%	%
	Digital Subscriber Line (DSL)	64.7	71.8	78.4	55.9	68.0
	Fibre To The Premises (FTTP)	2.0	2.2	6.3	23.9	2.6
	Cable	6.8	4.9	4.0	12.1	6.0
	Fixed Wireless	9.9	9.3	7.0	3.8	9.5
	Mobile Wireless	14.4	10.4	3.7	4.0	12.2
	Satellite	2.1	1.3	0.6	0.2	1.7
	Other broadband connections(c)	-	-	np	0.1	-
- nil or rounded to zero (including null cells)
np not available for publication but included in totals where applicable, unless otherwise indicated
(a) Proportions are of all businesses that used broadband as the main type of internet connection in each output category.
(b) Businesses identified the main type of broadband connection as at 30 June 2014.
(c) Other broadband includes connection types such as ATM and frame relay. Refer to the glossary.

The industry with the lowest proportion of businesses with DSL as the main type of broadband connection was Agriculture, forestry and fishing (31%). However, this industry recorded the greatest proportion of businesses with mobile wireless (30%), fixed wireless (19%) and satellite (18%) broadband connections as their main type of broadband connection.

Further statistics relating to main type of broadband connection used can be accessed via the Downloads tab.


Business Internet Activities

Businesses with access to the internet were asked which activities (excluding emails) they used the internet for during the year ended 30 June 2014. Businesses were able to identify more than one activity from a list which focused on activities most likely to improve business efficiency, productivity or facilitate innovation.

Selected business internet activities, by employment size(a)(b), 2013-14
			0-4 persons	5-19 persons	20-199 persons	200 or more persons	Total
			%	%	%	%	%
	Financial including online banking, invoicing, making payments		82.6	88.1	94.0	94.3	85.3
	Communication excluding email (e.g. VOIP, instant messaging)		31.7	35.5	44.0	65.6	34.1
	Enabling persons working for this business to:
		work from home	31.3	32.0	49.6	75.0	33.3
		work from other locations	27.9	31.5	48.1	76.6	31.0
	Information gathering or researching for:
		assessing or modifying this business' range of products, services, processes or methods	28.3	39.3	41.7	55.6	33.0
		development of new or improved products, services, processes or methods	19.2	23.1	27.7	49.7	21.3
		monitor competitors	20.9	30.8	38.0	50.2	25.5
		identifying future market trends	18.5	23.2	28.5	48.4	20.9
	Online training/learning		26.7	34.4	48.3	75.1	31.1
	Information sharing or data exchange (e.g. EDI, FTP) with:
		customers or clients	16.9	21.5	28.3	39.6	19.4
		businesses or organisations (which were not customers or clients)	13.3	17.3	24.0	33.7	15.5
(a) Proportions are of all businesses with internet access in each output category.
(b) Businesses could identify more than one activity.

Overall, businesses were most likely to undertake financial activities as an internet activity during the year ended 30 June 2014 (85%). The second most commonly reported activity for using the internet was communication excluding email (34%). Businesses were least likely to use the internet for information sharing or data exchange with businesses or organisations (which were not customers or clients) (16%).

The Information, media and telecommunications industry had the highest proportion of businesses report Information gathering or researching for identifying future market trends (35%) as an internet activity, while the lowest proportion of business to report this activity were in the Transport, postal and warehousing industry (7%).

Further statistics relating to business internet activities can be accessed via the Downloads tab.


Electronic Lodgement with Government Organisations

Businesses with access to the internet were asked whether any electronic lodgements were made with government organisations during 2013-14. More than three quarters of these businesses reported at least one type of electronic lodgement (79%). Overall, businesses were most likely to report the electronic lodgement of payments (65%).

Electronic lodgements with government organisations, by employment size(a)(b)(c), 2013-14
		0-4 persons	5-19 persons	20-199 persons	200 or more persons	Total
		%	%	%	%	%
	Taxation forms(d)	49.3	55.1	69.5	84.8	53.0
	Claims for grants or benefits	4.1	8.4	16.8	35.6	6.7
	Applications for licences or permits	20.1	27.4	36.3	40.6	23.8
	Payments	59.8	70.5	76.3	85.8	64.7
	Other electronic lodgements	4.2	4.1	4.9	9.6	4.3
	Any electronic lodgements with government organisations	75.6	83.1	91.2	97.7	79.3
(a) Proportions are of all businesses with internet access in each output category.
(b) Businesses could identify more than one type of electronic lodgement.
(c) Government organisations include those at federal, state/territory or local levels.
(d) Excludes electronic lodgement of taxation forms undertaken on behalf of the business by accountants or tax agents.

By employment size, businesses with 200 or more persons employed recorded the highest proportion of businesses to have electronically lodged with government across all categories.

Businesses in the Mining industry were the most likely to have any electronic lodgement with government (90%), they were also the most likely to have electronically lodged taxation forms (70%). Businesses in the Health care and social assistance industry were most likely to have electronically lodged claims for grants and benefits (21%) and other electronic lodgements (11%).

Further statistics relating to electronic lodgement with government organisations can be accessed via the Downloads tab.