Broadband Internet gaining ground

Household use of the Internet is expanding further in the Netherlands. In 2003 almost six in every ten households owned a PC with access to the Internet four times as many as in 1998. Cable and other broadband Internet connections are gaining ground.

Households with access to the Internet

More households have broadband Internet connection

The share of households with a broadband Internet connection increased from 24 percent in 2002 to 34 percent in 2003. The share of households with dial-up access through an analogue modem fell from 60 percent in 2002 to 50 percent in 2003.

Households with Internet by type of connection

More time spent behind the computer

In 2003 seven out of every ten persons in the Netherlands aged twelve years and older regularly used a PC. , at home, at work, at school or elsewhere. The average PC user spent 15 hours a week behind the computer, one hour more than in 2002.

Seven hours a week online

Six in every ten persons regularly accessed the Internet in 2003. On average they were 7 hours a week online, that is one hour more per week than in 2002.

Virtually all young people in the age category 12-17 regularly used a computer, almost nine in ten were regularly online. The amount of computer users declines with advancing age. Only one in ten over-75s regularly spend time behind a computer, one in twenty access the Internet.

PC and Internet users by age, 2003

The share of male computer and Internet users slightly outnumbers their female counterparts. The level of education is important in this respect. There are more computer and Internet users among the higher educated.

E-mail and source of information

The Internet is mainly used to e-mail and look for specific information. One in five Internet users visit sites with information about the public sector. One quarter occasionally buy articles or services online, mainly holidays and books.

Internet use by type of activity, 2003

Ferdy Otten