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. 

13