Information and communication technologies/ Information and communication technologies. Broadband access to Internet

The section includes information on the level of coverage and directions of information and communication technologies usage by organizations of almost all economic activities.

Data are given for organizations under observation (excluding small businesses).

Information and communication technologies - technologies which use microelectronic facilities to collect, store, process, search, transmit and represent data, texts, images and sound.

Global information network covers complex of computers and/or local networks, which can be situated at any place of the world and connected by distance canals (commuting or selected), provided by telephone companies or other organizations for communication. Global information network enables users to exchange data, share hardware and software, information resources. Global information network can be as accessible for general public (Internet) and specialized (corporate or departmental – Intranet, Extranet).

Internet – global (world) multitude of independed computer networks connected for information exchange according standard and open protocol.

Broadband access to Internet – the access to Internet with data transfer rate of 256 Kbit/sec and above.

Intranet – distributed corporate network based on Internet technologies designed to provide personnel with the access to corporate information electronic resources.

Extranet – extension of Intranet which contains selected fields, which can be accessed by external users. For example, providing external users with the access to a respective part of corporate data on their orders or production stock status.

Local computing network connects two or more computers (may be of different types) as well as printers, scanners, signal systems (guard, fire) and other production and peripheral equipment, situated within one building or several neighborhood buildings and does not use general-purpose communication facilities.

Expenditures on information and communication technologies represent actual expenditures of organization  denomitated in monetary form onpurchasing of  computers and sortware, communication services, training of personnel to develop and use ICT, outsourcing, as well as other expenditures on ICT, including expenditures of organizations on development of own software. Expenditures on ICT take into account current and capital costs