Substantial increase recorded in number of Maltese users with basic digital skills

A substantial increase has been recorded in the number of Maltese users with basic digital skills. Malta’s standing has improved from 20th to 14th place, with a score of 56 per cent – close to the EU average of 57 per cent.

This information came to light through the Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI) for the year 2018. Malta has also seen an increase in internet users – from 76 to 79 per cent, which is also close to the EU average of 81 per cent.

The DESI is published by the European Commission with the aim of measuring progress within EU member states towards a digital economy and society.

In a press release issued by the Malta Communications Authority (MCA), it said that the entity is committed to “actively lead the national digital literacy and is currently co-ordinating a number of initiatives that address the digital divide.”

Malta has again been classified as the leading European country in the field of broadband coverage.

Various categories reported in the DESI fall under the MCA’s remit. Malta is the best performing country across the EU in terms of nationwide broadband coverage. Operators are investing heavily in their networks to sustain higher speed take-up, with the latest results indicating an increase in speed take-up. The fast broadband (≥30Mbps) take-up registered an ongoing growth, resulting in a percentage increase of five per cent from 48 per cent in 2016 to 53 per cent in 2017. The 2017 results are above the EU average of 33 per cent. On the other hand, the ultra-fast broadband is recorded slightly below the EU average of 15.4 per cent; however, there was a significant increase from 3.4 per cent in 2016 to 11.4 per cent in 2017.

Malta has also remained one of the European leaders in the field of connectivity. In fact, for the second consecutive year, Malta has ranked sixth –a score well above the EU and cluster average. From a mobile perspective, Malta placed among the top countries, with nationwide 4G coverage, and saw a 14-point improvement on the ranking of mobile broadband take-up, from 24th place in 2016 to 10th place in this year’s DESI – a score just above the EU average.

Ecommerce adoption among local businesses is yet another area that the MCA is committed to. The latest DESI figures show that the number of SMEs selling online has dropped and, thus, so has the number of SMEs selling online cross-border. On the other hand, eCommerce turnover increased in 2017, when compared to the year before. During 2017, the MCA reviewed its eCommerce strategy to address the obstacles encountered in this sector and, hence, this market.

Malta ranked 12th further develop overall and is clustered together with medium-performing countries, namely Spain, Austria, Lithuania, Germany, Slovenia, Portugal, Czech Republic, France and Latvia.