SMEs and E Commerce The Asia Foundation
Companies in the hotel and tourism had fairly equal distribution of time spent
using other functions of the Internet between less than 1 hour, 20 30 hours, to
more than 40 hours per month. Companies in other industries mostly used other
functions of the Internet more than 40 hours per month.
By geography, except for companies in Nakhon Ratchasima and Phuket that
mostly used the email 20 30 hours per month, companies in all cities mostly used
the email and the other functions of the Internet more than 40 hours per month.
4.2.2.4 Type of connection
Most companies (89.9%) had used dial up connection to the Internet (Figure
1.11). Other connections were available but the companies considered them as
too expensive when compared to activities and size of the business.
A few companies in manufacturing, business services, and distribution and trade
sectors had used ISDN. Several companies in the sector of telecommunications
and IT had used leased line.
Figure 1.11
Type of connection
Dial up Connection
89%
Cable
1%
Others
Satellite
Leased line
ISDN
1%
1%
3%
5%
4.2.2.5 Speed evaluation
Most respondents were not certain about the average speeds received. Answers
about the receiving speeds could be concluded into 3 categories (Figure 1.12): not
greater than 36K (5.45%), faster than 36K but not greater than 56K (82.73%),
and greater than 56K (11.82%).
A respondent remarked that receiving speeds might depend upon the quality of
the connection equipment such as computers, signal wire, modem speed,
information traffic, etc.
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