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Governments have long been concerned about making the internet more accessible to residential users. With the availability of broadband technologies, policies to promote residential broadband internet access became the focus of attention. Fast broadband access allows its users to draw on the internet for learning, shopping, banking and access public services such as paying taxes. It also facilitates telecommuting (i.e. working from home). Users with broadband access therefore have an advantage over those who cannot access the internet this way. Historically, it is the more educated and more affluent segments that have access to new technologies. If this is the case with broadband access then it is possible that the divide within the society will further escalate unless broadband access is promoted to a wider group of people. This study aims at analysing which segments of the Portuguese people possess broadband technology to access the internet. Learning about the drivers of internet - and in particular broadband - access will help policymakers to focus their policy interventions on segments which need the most support to become part of the information society. |
