INFORMATION USAGE OF INTERNET AND MOBILE TELEPHONY

Usage of information - communication technologies in households, First quarter, year 2008
Households that use computer and Internet

According to the State Statistical Office data, in the first quarter of 2008, 45.6% of the households were using computers which is 12,4% higher than the same period of 2007, and 29.4% of the households had access to the Internet which is 12,9% higher that the same period of 2007.

Mobile phone, computer and Internet users aged 15-74

In the first quarter of 2008, of the total population aged 15-74, mobile phone used 78.7%, which, in comparison to the same period of 2007 is an increase of 11.0%, computer used 50.0%, which, in comparison to the same period of 2007 is an increase of 9.1%, while 41.5% used the Internet, which, in comparison to the same period of 2007 is an increase of 11.8%.

Mobile phone, computer and Internet users aged 15-74 by the individual's sex- structure

Mobile phone, computer and Internet users aged 15-74 by age groups

Mobile phone, computer and Internet users aged 15-74 by education groups

Type of Internet connection in the households with Internet access

Broadband connection to the Internet had 78.6% of the households with Internet access, which is 34.9% more in comparison with the same period of 2007. Most present broadband connection was by ADSL technologies, by 39.5% of the households with the Internet access.

Purpose of using the Internet

Internet mostly was used for communication, information and on-line services

IT ENVIRONMENT IN MACEDONIA - MASIT

Information and communication technology continues to grow in Macedonia and its application has progressed substantially. Today, the new technologies allow us to have more control over our engagements, to think analytically and critically, and to work collaboratively. The most active entity in this regard is MASIT, which represents the core of the IT environment and its activities in Macedonia.

ABOUT MASIT

The Macedonian Association of Information Technology (MASIT), founded in 2000 as a joint effort of the 15 domestic leading IT companies, is the premier Macedonian association representing the information technology industry. MASIT anticipates being a driving force of a competitive Information & Communications Technology (ICT) industry, an innovation-driven economy, and contributor to the nation's prosperity.

Members - 50 national IT industry companies
Represents over 80% of domestic market
Host of many local and regional events - Oversight organization for annual regional SEITA conference (SEE IT associations)

MASIT GOALS

- to be a leading association of the domestic IT companies
- to deliver demand-driven services to the members
- to participate in the events related to the IT industry
- International promotion of the accomplishments of the members in the area of IT software and services
- to participate in the definition of the ICT regulatory framework
- to create the national IT standards
- to become a member of the European and the World IT association
- to facilitate the IT cluster through the public-private-partnership
- to foster the international cooperation with other associations

MASIT INVOLVEMENT

Public Policy: advocating policies that advance the industry's growth and development (MCA Grant)
Trade: facilitating IT exports and investment in IT products and services
Inter-Cluster Cooperation: strengthening Macedonian IT cluster (Government, Academia, Financial Institutions)
networking: providing members with access to their peers in nearly every geographic region in the world

SOME DATA ABOUT THE IT INDUSTRY IN MACEDONIA

(IDC, December 2004)

- IT Spending in Macedonia
- Y2005 FORECAST - IT market $77,7M, 15% growth
- H/W - $33,3M (PCs, Servers)
- Storage - $2,5M (disk systems, tape)
- Peripherals - $8,7M (printers, handhelds, adds)
- Networking - $4,6M (active & passive, wireless)
- S/W - $12,7M (system s/w, applications & development)
- Services - $15,9M (education, consulting, maintenance)
- IT MNCs represented through many wholesalers and retailers - no MNCs branch offices in non-subsidiary country, except Microsoft
- >200 active IT companies, <20 serious players
- 37.000 PCs annual sales, 60% to replace outdated or irreparable h/w
- IT market dominated by imports of hybrid h/w (>60%)