Australians are ardent adopters of technology, ranking fourth in the world for the number of internet users per 1,000 people and eighth for the number of computer users per 1,000 people. As at March 2007, there were more than 6.4 million active internet subscribers in Australia, an increase of 8.5% from June 2006 (sourced from internet service providers with at least 10,000 subscribers). Broadband take-up has increased rapidly in Australia, rising by 51% in the 12 months to September 2006 according to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's Snapshot of Broadband Deployment. Additionally, the number of mobile phone subscribers is higher in Australia than in Japan, Korea, France and the United States.
The continued expansion of the Australian mobile phone and internet markets has been driven by improved network performance, growth in network coverage, particularly to regional and remote areas, new technological developments, and an increase in Australian Government incentives for a more sustainable broadband infrastructure base across Australia.
Australia's growth in usage rates and the uptake of new technology continues to provide employment opportunities for the large number of ICT workers employed in the country, as well as new business opportunities and a large market for e-commerce.