- starts -

North outstrips Republic in Business Email and Web usage

In a report published this week by Newry Company, IDS Media Group, it was found that Northern Ireland businesses were 30% more likely to have a business email address and a business web domain that their Southern counterparts. The report covering email and web ownership in businesses throughout Ireland, showed that 10.4% of all businesses in Northern Ireland had a company web site, as opposed to only 7.4% in Republic of Ireland. The same report also showed that 8.0% of all businesses in Northern Ireland had a company email, as opposed to only 5.3% in Republic of Ireland.

"The trend has been noticed over the past 12 months, but has become very evident in the last 6 months." Said Martin Crilly, Director with IDS Media Group. " I believe that the spread of Broadband, and the greater use of the internet by small businesses in Northern Ireland is the reason for this increase."

The report covers email and web site growth in Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland since March 1997. The report clearly charts the steady rise in business usage of internet in the past 8 years. However, there is also some evidence that the slow down and reverse in the growth rate that is evident in the Rep. Of Ireland in the past 12 months, may be spreading to Northern Ireland.

The report also lists the top internet savvy business sectors as being Hotels, Banks and Accommodation/Tourism related. The top business sector in the Republic of Ireland was political parties and politicians, which in Northern Ireland didn't even make it into the top 50.

The report also concludes that the most internet "switched on" area in Northern Ireland as being Castlereagh. This is followed closely by Banbridge, Lisburn and Antrim.

The report is available FREE from the company's web site at www.idsmediagroup.com, along with more detailed statistics on the number of businesses in Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland.

- ends -

For more information, please contact:
Released:
Immediate

Contact:
Martin Crilly, Managing Director, IDS Media Group
Phone: +353 1 2604818 (1800 927100) or +44 28 30254700
Fax: +353 1 2604816 or +44 28 30254700
Mobile: +44 771 2576747
Email: Martin.Crilly@IDSMediaGroup.com
Web: www.IDSMediaGroup.com

Notes to Editor:
Information on the company, including history, background and downloadable photos are located in the press section of our web site www.idsmediagroup.com/press. Please feel free to phone in you need more information or more quotes.

3 Sandyford Office Park, Blackthorn Avenue, Dublin 18
Phone: +353-1-2604818 Fax +353-1-2604816
Commercial House, 15 Merchants Quay, Newry, Co. Down BT35 6AH
Phone: +44-28-30254700 Fax +44-28-30254701