BISER Domain Report No. 10 . ICT Infrastructure – the Regional Dimension

This deliverable forms part of Workpackage 6, e-Europe Regions Benchmarking and Advisor group, and in this it carries out analysis into the domains for the various European regions, providing not only a general picture of the development of ICT in Europe but also allowing us to sketch out policy lines to be followed in the process of implementation of Internet use both by businesses and the general public. Analysis of the surveys will take place here on the level of penetration of ICT in the population (ICT – RPS) and in businesses (ICT – RDMS), achieved using statistical indicators for benchmarking of the Information Society produced in previous Workpackages (WP2 – WP3 – WP4). The aim of the deliverable is to identify, for each topic in question, the level of penetration of ICT within the population (ICT – RPS) and within local productive systems (ICT – RDMS), examining the nature and dimensions of barriers present in the different regions subject to analysis. The areas chosen for analysis of ICT in the population were: 1) use of computer, Internet, e-mail and mobile phone; 2) assessment of the effects of such use and 3) barriers. For ICT RDMS we have analysed either the type of computer infrastructure owned by the company or the absence of e-business. Interesting results for the two surveys emerged from the analysis: some regions of Southern Europe seem more interested in on-line business. In order to support and continue studies produced in the past by the European Union, we have made use of the results identified by the e-Europe 2002 project as well as the priorities identified and contained in e-Europe 2005. We have also benefited from the documents on territorial cohesion produced by the European Union. The deliverable containing the analysis of the two surveys is divided into several parts: 1a) analysis of ICT RPS; 1b) analysis of ICT RDMS; 2) and recommendations for decision makers. The document consists of two main parts: A domain overview is provided in order to define the aim of analysis. An assessment of the penetration and diffusion of ICT RPS and ICT RDMS has been used to analyse, by means specific indicators, either general situation or regional diversities.