Piedmont and Catalunya in focus

Transcription

1 BROADBAND EVOLUTION IN CATALUNYA AND PIEDMONT: A COMPARISON WITH EUROPE PIEDMONT ICT OBSERVATORY (PICTO) Piedmont and Catalunya in focus JUNE 2010 CONTENTS Catalunya and Piedmont in Europe Broadband penetration in Catalunya and Piedmont, 2009 References and sources As a result of the participation to the Regions for Better Broadband European Project (B3), Catalunya and Piedmont agreed to undertake a joint research activity about ICT and broadband penetration in their region. This spring edition of Piedmont in Focus provides an opportunity to host the first results of this effort. The original scope of the publication is therefore extended and includes a presentation of the Catalunya situation. The document is also an invitation for regional ICT observatories in other countries to join the initiative in the future. A claim is made that insights into broadband evolution trend as this progressively rolls out in the different areas have several advantages and there is a scope to be actively pursued. Besides increasing awareness about ongoing practices, in fact, they may provide indications for designing local policy, and ultimately help shortening the time to society of innovative ICT based services. In this edition the following topics are addressed A comparison of the Internet and broadband uptakes in, Catalunya, Piedmont, as well as in their respective countries and Europe. The situation of broadband roll out in the regions in spring Information is also broken down by connectivity type and quality of the coverage is addressed. 1. CATALUNYA AND PIEDMONT IN EUROPE Progress in the penetration of the Internet and broadband connections between 2005 and 2009 has been remarkable. For the areas shown in Fig.1, Internet uptakes among households grew about 10% each year, while broadband connections increased about 20%, Fig ovazionetecnologia/osservat orioict % Broadband Spain 2009 Catalunya, Piedmont 2009 EU15, EU Catalunya, Piedmont 2005 Spain % Internet 1 Italy 2005 EU15, EU Italy 2009 EU 27 EU 15 Spain Italy Catalunya Piedmont Figure 1 Evolution of Internet and broadband connections among households in selected areas,

2 A comparison of the trends for the different areas shows that regional situations are better off than those in their mother countries. In both Catalunya and Piedmont, in fact, the levels of Internet and broadband uptakes in 2009 are still noticeably higher than those in Spain and Italy. In 2009, Catalunya also outweighs the European averages for broadband connections. In both regions, however, the rate of Internet diffusion is still below the European values. The evolution trends also show that progress in Internet spreading during the period occurred at a similar pace, in the two regions. However, while in Catalunya progress in broadband occurred earlier, in Piedmont it took place mainly in the recent year. The regional maps of the Internet and Broadband uptakes in 2009, confirm that Catalunya and Piedmont are relatively better off than their home regions, Figs.2a and 2b. In addition, they clearly show that regional gaps in broadband uptake are deeper in Italy than in Spain. Catalunya Piedmont Figure 2b Households with Internet connections in the European Regions, 2009 (%) As can be appreciated from Figs 3a and 3b, in the last year, diffusion of broadband among households progressed more than that of the Internet: the regional average increase in broadband connections was twice that of the Internet. Figure 2a Households with broadband connection in European Regions, 2009 (%) The maps also demonstrate that a divide still exists between Northern and Southern areas of Europe, although, as illustrated in Figs, 3a and 3b, noticeable improvements took place between 2008 and Figure 3a variation in broadband connection among households in European Regions (*) (*)Variation is expressed as the ratio between 2009 and Catalunya and Piedmont relative advantages to their home countries, are also apparent in the few elementary indicators of Internet usages, for households and enterprises, Tabs 1 and 2. Not surprisingly given the level of broadband roll out in 2005 (Fig.1), they show that, in 2009, Internet penetration in 2

3 the everyday practices of households and firms, is more advanced in Spain than in Italy. 2) Individuals who ordered goods or services, over the Internet, for private use, in the last 3 months 3)Individuals using the Internet for seeking healthrelated information 4)Individuals using the Internet for internet banking. The relative advantage of Spain is reflected also in the regional situations, although from the point of view of broadband access, Piedmont is only three percentage points below Catalunya. Figure 3b variation in Internet connections among households in European Regions (*) (*)Variation is expressed as the ratio between 2009 and Table 1 Indicators of Internet usages by individuals in the selected areas, (%) 2008 gov commerce health banking EU EU Spain Italy Catalunya Piedmont a a gov commerce health banking EU EU Spain Italy Catalunya Piedmont Source: EUROSTAT, FOBSIC, PICTO a) In 2008 the indicator was different. 1)Individuals who used Internet, in the last 3 months, for obtaining information from public authorities web sites; An examination of the indicators in Tabs 1 and 2, suggests that, because of the current critical situation in the economy, a diversification is occurring in the ways households and firms get hold of ICT as represented by internet usages. In all the areas in fact, a slow down is apparent in the internet usages among enterprises compared with what is occurring among households. This is slightly more evident in Spain than in Italy. The phenomenon is even more accentuated in both Piedmont and Catalunya. Table 2 Broadband connection and Internet usages by enterprises in the selected areas, (10 employed persons or more) (%) 2008 Broadband gov Selling Buying EU EU Spain Italy Catalunya Piedmont a) 52 a) 2009 Broadband gov Selling Buying EU EU Spain Italy Catalunya Piedmont a) 48 a) Source: EUROSTAT, FOBSIC, PICTO a) The indicator has no threshold 3

4 1) Enterprises having a broadband connection; All (10 employed persons or more) 2) Percentage of enterprises which use the Internet for interaction with public authorities 3) Enterprises having received orders on-line (at least 1%) 4) Enterprises having purchased on-line (at least 1%) 5) Enterprises using software solutions, like CRM to analyse information about clients for marketing purposes 2. BROADBAND PENETRATION IN CATALUNYA AND PIEDMONT, CATALUNYA Figure evolution of electronic communication services (BB, DTT, TM112) in Catalunya regions Source: The Secretary of Telecommunications and Information Society (STSI) through the Directorate General of Telecommunications Infrastructure and Networks performs and maintains an updated census of the coverage of electronic communications services in Catalunya. It deals with those communications services which are most relevant for citizens' access to the Information Society. The report "The adoption of ICT local administration of Catalonia, 2009" describes the coverage situation by December 2009, for the following communication services: broadband (BB), digital terrestrial television signal (DTT) and the emergency service 112. The smallest unit of analysis is the main town. When analyzing the coverage of different communication services 946 municipalities of Catalonia and 3219 population units/existing settlements are considered. Outside of these population live in scattered areas. The coverage as a percentage of population town centre by the various communications services is analyzed. In order to assess the coverage in villages three levels are considered. A village is considered "covered" when more than 80% of the population in the town center has coverage, "partially covered" when the percentage of is between 50% and 80%, and "not covered" when the coverage is less than 50%. Table 3 shows the percentage of the total Catalan population covered by the different communications services (BB: Broadband; DTT-TVC1: DTT signal from the first multiple channel TVC; TM112: service Emergency Mobile). Table 3 - Inhabitants with coverage of communications services (According to Census 2006). Population covered BB ,4% DTT-TVC ,4% TM ,9% Population units/existing settlements covered BB ,4% DTT-TVC ,9% TM ,4% Population covered partially BB ,5% DTT-TVC TM Population units/existing settlements covered partially BB 169 5,3% DTT-TVC TM Population not covered BB ,1% DTT-TVC ,6% TM ,1% Population units/existing settlements not covered BB 204 6,3% DTT-TVC ,1% TM ,6% Source: STSI and FOBSIC, 2009 Details about the coverage of broadband service (BB) in the 41 counties of the region shown in Tab.4. WiMAX Internet access has been made available through the Rural Broadband Project 4

5 undertaken by the Government of Catalonia in order to provide Internet connectivity to all citizens. Table 4-% Inhabitants covered by broadband (ADSL and WiMAX) in the Catalan Counties Population covered partially Population not covered Population County covered Alt Camp 99,2% 0,7% 0,1% Alt Empordà 99,7% 0,3% 0,0% Alt Penedès 99,2% 0,7% 0,0% Alt Urgell 96,9% 1,2% 1,9% Alta Ribagorça 95,9% 3,1% 1,0% Anoia 98,7% 1,2% 0,1% Bages 99,1% 0,7% 0,3% Baix Camp 99,9% 0,1% 0,0% Baix Ebre 99,1% 0,9% 0,0% Baix Empordà 98,8% 0,9% 0,3% Baix Llobregat 99,3% 0,7% 0,1% Baix Penedès 98,5% 1,5% 0,0% Barcelonès 100,0% 0,0% 0,0% Berguedà 95,2% 0,3% 4,4% Cerdanya 99,7% 0,0% 0,3% Conca de Barberà 95,0% 3,7% 1,3% Garraf 99,8% 0,2% 0,0% Garrigues 96,9% 0,0% 3,1% Garrotxa 99,1% 0,3% 0,6% Gironès 100,0% 0,0% 0,0% Maresme 99,7% 0,2% 0,1% Montsià 99,5% 0,3% 0,2% Noguera 95,8% 3,0% 1,2% Osona 99,0% 0,9% 0,0% Pallars Jussà 95,0% 1,8% 3,2% Pallars Sobirà 90,8% 2,2% 7,0% Pla de l Estany 99,7% 0,3% 0,0% Pla d Urgell 100,0% 0,0% 0,0% Priorat 86,8% 3,1% 10,1% Ribera d Ebre 97,7% 0,0% 2,3% Ripollès 98,8% 0,5% 0,7% Segarra 96,5% 1,6% 1,9% Segrià 99,8% 0,1% 0,0% Selva 98,2% 1,4% 0,3% Solsonès 98,2% 1,1% 0,7% Tarragonès 99,1% 0,9% 0,0% Terra Alta 91,0% 8,9% 0,1% Urgell 96,7% 1,6% 1,7% Val d Aran 98,5% 0,3% 1,2% Vallès Occidental 99,3% 0,7% 0,0% Vallès Oriental 99,1% 0,9% 0,1% Catalunya 99,4% 0,5% 0,1% Information about the various services coverage that is published is the result of computer simulations and should be considered as indicative. 2.2 PIEDMONT As the first phase of Wi-Pie Program came to completion in 2009, all the 1156 of 1206 municipalities have access to xdsl. The Program also favoured the delivery of broadband services by wireless networks. 87% of the municipalities have at least one Wi-fi operator providing broadband services and in 47% there are more than two. In 60% of the municipalities UMTS access is also available. Table 5 summarizes the type of broadband service bundles, available in the municipalities by the end of More than one third of the population and firms are offered a variety of broadband services, provided by telecoms operating on wired (xdsl), wireless (WI-FI) and mobile (UMTS) networks. Table 5 Broadband coverage in Piedmont by connectivity types by municipalities and percentages of population and firms potentially served, December 2009 Municipalities Population Firms satellite 2.9% 0.2% 0.2% xdsl or WI-FI 18.7% 4.8% 4.1% xdsl + 1 WI-FI 12.9% 3.0% 2.3% xdsl + 1 WI-FI+ UMTS 14.6% 11.6% 11.2% xdsl+ 2 or more WI-FI 19.4% 5.0% 3.9% xdsl+ 2 or more WI-FI + UMTS 28.6% 35.3% 32.5% OF+others 2.8% 40.1% 46.0% Source: PICTO, Wi-pie and ISTAT Optical fibre connections are available in a small number of municipalities but in these live 40% of the regional population. The map in Fig. 5 shows the spatial distribution of the available bundles of broadband services. Not unexpectedly, it reveals that more populated municipalities have access to a greater variety of broadband services. In fact, the distribution of connectivity types reflects, to 5

6 a large extent, the spatial pattern of the urban settlements. In 2009, 62.7% of households have an Internet access at home. Among these, the majority, 83%, has a xdsl connection, 2% use optical fibres, 5% have a wireless access (WI-FI or UMTS) and 6% still have a wired narrowband connection. In addition, an Internet-key is avialable in one out of four households. Broadband access increased considerably between 2008 and 2009 (+ 13 percentage points). Digital divide among province also reduced appreciatively. By 2009, in all the provinces half of the households, at least, had broadband connection at home, Fig. 6. Source: PICTO Figure 5 Broadband connectivity types in Piedmont municipalities, December 2009 In the phase of the Wi-Pie program, the monitoring of broadband roll out will be complemented by an assessment of the quality of the delivered services. In this regard, some aspects have been enquired in the 2009 surveys PICTO conducted among enterprises and households. As for firms accessing the Internet with connections, different from dial up or ISDN 68.5% have at least 2Mbps speed connections. In the Turin metropolitan province the percentage is as high as 80. In 2009, connections with 20Mbps speed or higher were used by less than 5% of the firms. Among firms with broadband connections, (85%), nominal (average), download and upload speed, is 7Mbps and 5 Mbps, These values are about 20% lower than those advertised by the national telcom operators. One firm out of five complains that the available connection speed is lower than the one they paid for. In addition, 13% of the firms say that they are not satisfied with the available connection speed. Source: PICTO Figure 6 Broadband connections in Provinces, and satisfaction indices, 2009(*) (*) Indices are the ratio between the province value and the average regional value. Although one third of households are very satisfied with their broadband access, 12% rate it poorly and 4% are not satisfied at all. The share of dissatisfaction increases significantly in certain sub-regional areas, such as Asti and Biella. 6

7 REFERENCES DATA SOURCES Osservatorio ICT del Piemonte (2009) Le ICT nella costruzione della Società dell Informazione in Piemonte. Rapporto 200, Ires, Torino. /osservatorioict/ Osservatorio ICT del Piemonte (2010) Le ICT in Piemonte nel 2008: uno sguardo d assieme. /osservatorioict/ Fundació Observatori per a la Societat de la Informació de Catalunya Secretary of Telecommunications and Information Society (STSI) EUROSTAT: Data Survey on Information and Communication Technologies in households and enterprises. europa.eu OSSERVATORIO ICT DEL PIEMONTE. innovazionetecnologia/osservatorioict/ Fundació Observatori per a la Societat de la Informació de Catalunya Secretary of Telecommunications and Information Society (STSI) Instituto Nacional de Estadítica (INE) 7