Digital Agenda - Companies Need Fast and Secure Networks

The companies in the information economy are calling for a nationwide broadband infrastructure with a download speed of at least 50 Mbit/s as well as secure digital services. A fast and reliable broadband infrastructure should also be centre stage in the federal government's Digital Agenda, according to the companies in this economic sector. This is the result of a current study by ZEW.

More than half of the companies in the information economy (52 per cent) attach top priority to the nationwide expansion of high-speed broadband infrastructure. In particular the media service providers (60 per cent) and IT service providers (55 per cent) believe there is urgent need for government action concerning the nationwide expansion of broadband with at least 50 Mbit/s by 2018. For 49 per cent of the firms, improving broadband access in rural areas is an important issue. Especially for smaller companies, investment in broadband access on their own expense is hardly profitable, which makes them dependant on infrastructure providers.

In addition to broadband expansion, the companies in the information economy consider it particularly important to improve security and build up confidence in digital services. A total of 51 per cent attach great importance to this aim of the Digital Agenda. It is first and foremost the knowledge-intensive service providers such as legal advisers, tax advisers, public accountants, advertising agencies, architects, and technical service providers who ascribe great significance to this issue. Knowledge-intensive service providers frequently work with sensitive data. It is of key importance to them to have these data protected from infringement or abuse.

"For an increasingly knowledge-based economy, secure high-performance data networks are a basic requirement for economic success", says Irene Bertschek, head of the "Information and Communication Technologies" Research Department at the Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW) and professor at the University of Mannheim.

In September 2014, ZEW researchers conducted a survey among companies of the information economy, in which the firms were asked to assess the key ideas of the Digital Agenda from a business point of view.

The federal government's 2014–2017 Digital Agenda, which was released in August 2014, is the first overall digitalisation strategy for Germany.

For more information please contact

Prof. Dr. Irene Bertschek, Phone +49(0)621 1235-178, bertschek@zew.de

Dr. Jörg Ohnemus, Phone +49(0)621 1235-354, ohnemus@zew.de