2009 Australia - Internet, Broadband and Convergence Statistics (tables only)

Market surveys

The report includes details from a number of market surveys covering consumer usage and behavioural patterns, as well as Internet and broadband usage statistics. Surveys covered include a statistical overview from the ABS regarding computer and Internet usage among Australian households, which includes a breakdown analysis of residential computer and Internet usage by a wide range of criteria. The figures used here are the latest available, but some 2007 statistics are not available for update until 2010.

A number of market surveys are included across a wide range of topics including e-business, broadband usage, IT and consumer satisfaction, and the farming sector.

Industry subscriber statistics

Though there are roughly 200 ISPs in Australia, the retail broadband market is dominated by a small number of firms. Telstra provides nearly 45% of services and has roughly four times as many retail subscribers as the second-largest player, Optus, with around 11% of the market. iiNet, TPG and Primus are other major players with around a 5% share each. The remaining 30% of the market is shared between approximately 180 small and medium-sized providers. There are two HFC network operators in Australia, Telstra and Optus, both serving customers in the large major metropolitan centres. In 2009 we estimated that there were 830,000 cable broadband subscribers, a penetration rate of around 15% of the total broadband market in Australia. Subscriber tables and other industry related data is provided.

Industry Revenue

The report also provides revenue, revenue growth statistics and analysis for the telecommunications market between 2000 and 2009 by major telecommunications providers, as well as BuddeComm market forecasts for 2010 and 2011. The total telecoms service market is segmented according to major provider (Telstra, Optus and other providers). Detailed revenue and forecasting statistics and analyses are also included separately for Telstra and Optus and the 2nd tier market. Telstra however still dominates the overall Australian telecom market with a massive 67% market share of overall revenues in 2008/09. By mid-2010, BuddeComm predicts that Telstra will still have 66% share of the overall revenue market.

Furthermore, the report provides revenue, revenue growth statistics and analysis for the telecommunications market by major service between 2000 and 2009, as well as our market forecasts for 2010 and 2011. The total telecoms service market is segmented according to telecommunications service, local access, mobile, and data/broadband revenues. Detailed revenue and forecasting statistics and analyses are also included separately for the wholesale, mobile, data and broadband markets, with forecasts for 2010/11. PSTN revenues (fixed line voice and local access revenues), continue on a downward spiral for all the telcos, the data market has now overtaken the mobile sector in size, the main driver of growth here being the retail broadband sector.

Digital Media

The report contains detailed statistics from e-business activity usage surveys. The digital economy affects everybody. Existing players such as telcos, banks, media, and retail will need to adapt to the new environment, while new players will enter these markets from different angles. British research indicates that online users can save £70 per month. The report surveys the first areas that customers are interested in and which are, therefore, interesting commercial starting points. It looks at topics such as e-money, mobile email, and buying and selling over the Internet. Expenditure on online advertisements in Australia reached $2 billion by the end of 2009.

In relation to mobile media, surveys include the Australian Interactive Media Industry Association’s AIMIA Mobile Traffic Trend report, m-Net Corporation’s Mobile Data Services Study, and Ericsson’s Executive Exchange, a survey of leading industry executives in Australia. The report also provides statistical estimates relating to revenue across operators in the industry, as well as forecasts to 2011/12. The major operators are likely to earn nearly $5 billion in revenue from mobile data in 2009. In the longer term, uptake of new services and mobile advertising is extremely difficult to forecast. However, total mobile data revenue in 2011/12 may approach $7 billion.

Data in this report is the latest available at the time of preparation and may not be for the current year.