Survey background
The Internet service provider (ISP) Survey provides information on the total number and nature of subscribers who use New Zealand-based ISPs to connect either permanently or regularly to the Internet. This information allows a measurement of the global connectivity of New Zealanders, which is regarded as an important determinant in accelerating economic growth and social wellbeing. This survey provides a core set of official statistics on Internet service provision. This will help individuals, communities, businesses, and government understand the role of information and communication technology in the economy and society.
The number of analog subscribers should be treated with caution, as respondents have difficulty excluding inactive analog subscribers from the total amount of analog subscribers. The survey asks about the number of active subscribers. An active subscriber is a customer who accessed the Internet within 90 days before the survey was filled out, or who had paid for access to the Internet. An example of an inactive analog subscriber is a broadband customer, who has a dial up connection as a back up.
Reference period
This survey refers to the 12 months ended June 2009, which aligns with the OECD timeframe. The data was previously collected in March and September each year, covering a 6-month reference period. Hence there is a 15-month gap between the previous ISP Survey and the June 2009 survey.
Information is for June 2009, and for June 2009 compared with March 2008, unless otherwise stated.
Data collection
The Internet Service Provider Survey: June 2009 was a postal survey of all organisations meeting the population selection criteria. The survey population was selected by targeting one Australian New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC) code on the Statistics New Zealand Business Frame, supplemented by a key word search of three ANZSIC codes.
This is the first publication of the ISP survey using a new population selection method. Previous ISP surveys were supplemented using industry lists rather than a key word search. The lists are no longer available. The impact of this change has been analysed and is negligible.
No financial information was requested from respondents. The survey was posted out in July 2009.
Target Population
The target population was defined as: 'All resident New Zealand Internet service providers', where Internet service providers were defined as economically significant businesses that supply permanent or regular Internet connectivity services to individuals, households, businesses, and other organisations in New Zealand.
A business is considered economically significant if it is found on the Statistics NZ Business Frame and meets one or more of the following criteria:
- has greater than $30,000 annual GST expenses or sales
- had more than two employees over the last year
- is in a GST-exempt industry (except for residential property leasing and rental)
- is part of a group of enterprises.
All units classified on the Statistics NZ Business Frame to the following ANZSIC 2006 code, are included in the survey.
J5910 Internet service providers and web search portals
Units mainly engaged in providing Internet access services. Also included are units which provide web search portals used to search the Internet.
A keyword search was used on the Statistics NZ Business Frame to find ISPs from the following three ANZSIC 2006 codes.
J5802 Other telecommunications network operations
Units mainly engaged in operating and maintaining switching and transmission facilities that provide omni-directional or point-to-point communications via wireless telecommunications networks. Transmission facilities may be based on a single technology or a combination of technologies, including communications via airwaves and through satellite systems.
J5809 Other telecommunications services
Units mainly engaged in providing a range of other telecommunication services, such as paging services and other specialised telecommunications applications. Also included in this class are units of telecommunications resellers purchasing access and network capacity from telecommunication carriers.
J5921 Data processing and web hosting services
Units mainly engaged in providing electronic data processing or hosting services. These units provide specialised hosting activities, such as web hosting, streaming services or application hosting, application service provisioning, or general timesharing mainframe facilities to customers. These units provide complete processing and specialised reports from data supplied by customers, or provide automated data processing and data entry services.
Exclusions
Enterprises that provided other Internet services such as web and domain hosting, but who did not provide ISP services, were excluded from the population. This was because the above enterprises were not strictly classified as ISPs. Web-hosting units did not interact directly with the public. Since the public access their website through an ISP, their activity was already covered by the survey. Including them would have resulted in double counting.
Businesses that provided occasional or unmetered access (including Internet cafes, kiosks, libraries, universities) were also excluded. The activity of this group was covered by the ISP each subscribed to, so they did not need to be surveyed separately.
Connections to the Internet via mobile phone were also excluded as this is neither a permanent nor regular Internet connection, and thus is beyond the scope of this survey. However, mobile (cellular) data-card-only subscriptions to the Internet are included.
The selection unit for inclusion in the population was set at the enterprise level.
Response rate
The target response rate for the Internet Service Provider Survey: June 2009 was 85 percent for units in the population list, with 100 percent collection required of identified key respondents. The actual overall response rate achieved was 86 percent overall and 100 percent for key respondents.
The population for the survey was 66 enterprises.
Imputation
Where data was missing or required clarification, respondents were contacted in the first instance. When necessary, missing data was imputed based on historical data collected.
Reliability of the data
Given that the Internet Service Provider Survey: June 2009 is a census rather than a sample, the data is not subject to sample variability. However, other inaccuracies, such as non-sampling errors, may affect the data. These non-sampling errors may arise from sources such as:
- errors in the reporting of data by respondents
- errors in capturing or processing of data
- lack of imputation for missing or misreported data
- definition and classification errors.
Every effort has been made to reduce non-sampling error to a minimum by careful design and thorough testing of questionnaires, efficient operating systems and procedures, and appropriate methodology.
Definitions
Active subscriber
This is a customer who within the last 90 days has accessed the Internet or paid for access to the Internet through an ISP. Under this definition, the following inclusions and exclusions are made:
includes:
- all subscribers who obtain access to the Internet through an ISP
- both analog and non-analog connection subscribers.
excludes:
- web-hosting-only subscribers
- email-only subscribers
- connections to the Internet via mobile phone.
Business Frame
A register maintained by Statistics NZ of all economically significant businesses operating in New Zealand.
Data cap
An Internet subscription data cap is a method employed by ISPs to limit the volume of data downloaded and/or uploaded by subscribers during a fixed period, normally a month. Once a fixed data cap has been reached, lower speed or extra access charges may apply. Also referred to as a data allowance.
Enterprise
A business or service entity operating in New Zealand. It can be a company, partnership, trust, estate, incorporated society, producer board, local or central government organisation, voluntary organisation, or self-employed individual.
Gigabyte
A gigabyte is a measure of the volume of data.
Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6)
IPv6 is the next generation Internet protocol which greatly expands the IP number space and is the approved standard to replace IPv4.
Internet service providers (ISPs)
Businesses that supply Internet connectivity services to individuals, households, businesses and other organisations.
Mbps and kbps
Mbps and kbps are measures of download and upload speed. Mbps stands for megabits per second (1,000,000 bits per second) and kbps stands for kilobits per second (1,000 bits per second).
Rolling mean employment (RME)
This is the 12-month moving average of the monthly employment count, derived from employer monthly schedule data.
Web filtering
Web filtering is a service offered by ISPs that filters by keyword or blocks by URL what a web browser will display, usually for the benefit of children.
Copyright
Information obtained from Statistics NZ may be freely used, reproduced, or quoted unless otherwise specified. In all cases Statistics NZ must be acknowledged as the source.
Liability
While care has been used in processing, analysing, and extracting information, Statistics NZ gives no warranty that the information supplied is free from error. Statistics NZ shall not be liable for any loss suffered through the use, directly or indirectly, of any information, product, or service.
Timing
Timed statistical releases are delivered using postal and electronic services provided by third parties. Delivery of these releases may be delayed by circumstances outside the control of Statistics NZ. Statistics NZ accepts no responsibility for any such delays.