Italian Internet Use

About 27 pct of Italians use the internet at least once every three months, resulting in 12.7 million more users than there were two years ago. Weekly web navigators amounted to 17 pct, or 8.2 million. The Italian numbers are still low when compared to other European countries (Great Britain 50 pct, Germany 43 pct, France 37 pct, while Spain is lower still with 22 pct) and the United States, where 72 pct of the population uses the web. The Italian region with the most connections is Lombardy (36.6 pct), followed by Marche-Umbria (33,5 pct), Liguria and Emilia Romagna (32,9 pct), Tuscany (32,2 pct), Veneto-Friuli Venezia Giulia-Trentino Alto Adige (28,4 pct), Lazio (28,3 pct), Campania (22,5 pct), Abruzzo-Molise (21,9 pct), Piemonte-Valle d'Aosta (21,6 pct), Sicily(18,3 pct), Sardegna (18 pct), Basilicata-Calabria (17,4 pct) and Puglia (14,7 pct). Although altogether, the number in the North surpass 30 pct in the North and Central regions, the South and islands are at around 18.7 pct, according to a study carried out by Cnel (National Council for Economy and Labor) in collaboration with Eurisiko for the analysis of dimensions, segments, needs, and network logic.


Network users connect mostly from home (8,500,000 people), but also from work (3,840,000), friends homes (3,320,000), school (2,020,000), coffee shops (580,000), libraries or training courses (290,000). More men than women use the net: 32.8 pct of men use the net, while only 20.4 pct of their female counterparts do. Among the 14 to 24 age category, 57.3 pct use the net, between 25 and 34, 43.4 pct do, between 35 and 44, 28.3 pct, and 7.9 pct of those over 44 navigate. Most web users have university degrees and medium-high incomes. Internet is used 33.5 pct of workers (especially businesspeople, freelance workers, managers, and office workers) 21.1 pct by people who don't work (69.1 pct students, 40.4 pct unemployed, 5 pct housewives, and 2.1 pct pensioners). Half know some English, and 23 pct know how to use the computer somewhat (31 pct very well, 38 pct fairly well). Those who reported an elevated understanding of the net amounted to 29 pct, a medium understanding 44 pct, and a low understanding 27 pct. very well.

Approximately 80 percent of internet customers use the network for electronic mail, 57 percent to seek useful information (in particular 44 percent news regarding jobs), 37 percent for study purposes, 33 percent for downloading programs, 32 percent to read the latest news, 20 percent to research bibliographies, 19 percent to listen to music, 17 percent to meet new people, 15 percent for banking services, nine percent to make bookings and seven percent for purchases. On line purchases include books, CDs, hardware, tickets and mobile phone services. However 42 percent say they are unprepared for electronic commerce and 19 percent say there are not interested in it.

The presence of Internet is ever more important in the world of business. Over 69 percent are internet linked and 32 percent have their own site, which is used almost totally to provide information on their own products and services. Access to Internet provides above all for the use of electronic mail (93 percent), the search for general news (72 percent) or suppliers (82 percent), to download programs (36 percent), various services (21 percent) and on line purchases (16 percent). The latter applies in 45 percent of cases to ICT products, 38 percent materials or party worked items, 31 percent banking or financial services, 24 percent travel services and 19 percent machinery and other office items.
Source: Agenzia Giornalistica Italia
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