IT-Usage
IT-Usage
Overview
The Romanian personal computer market is expected to grow at a compound annual rate exceeding 17% over the next five years, and is expected to reach $130 million by the year 2000. Given the virtual lack of computerization before 1989, the greatest demand has been from governmental bodies, public corporations, banks, and some state-owned companies benefitting mostly from sponsorship of the international financial corporation (World Bank, EBRD, PHARE).
The
Romanian market is supplied by both system integrator with brand local
names have covered almost 53% of the computer sales registered in 1996
and by imports of computer parts and brand name units (estimated at 40%
of the market). The most promising subsectors within the sector are Internet
equipment and software - the Internet market registered an explosion, users
increasing by about 200% a year, computer parts and peripherals, local
area networks, and wide area networks. US exports in this sector
decreased in the past two years because of the unfavorable customs duties
applied to US products
following
Romania's association with the EU and the CEFTA countries. (14)
Internet Activity
Leading ISPs in Romania
1.
Dynamic Network Technologies
2.
EUNET Romania
3.
FX Internet
4.
IIRUC
5.
StarNets
6.
Ines Internet
7.
InterComp
8.
Institutul de Tehnica de Calcul
9.
Kappa
10.
PC-Net
11.
Rokura
DNT (Dynamic Network Technologies) is the market leader in terms of the number of domains it hosts with an approximate 16% market share. DNT is followed by StarNets with 13% and FX with 11%. Together these three ISPs host nearly 40% of Romania’s internet domains.
PC-NET Data Network S.A., a leading Bucharest-based internet service provider, together with the Romanian Post Privatization Fund – capitalized by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, European Union and GED Eastern Fund I – announced on 28 September 1999 the conclusion of an agreement according to which RPPF will acquire 40% of PC-NET. The value of the transaction is $1.5 million and is RPPF’s first investment in the internet service domain in Romania.(15)
Internet Market
The Romanian internet services market continues its rapid expansion, the overall number of hosts increasing from 20,741 in November 1998 to 37,399 in September this year. This doubling represents a growth rate comparable to the world-wide evolution of the Internet. The Internet service market, currently based primarily on internet access, is estimated at approximately $6 million.
Prices
for internet services are continuously decreasing. In comparison to the
same period last year, when an account of unlimited access to Internet
via dial-up cost $40 per month on average, DNT Bucharest and Ines
Internet now offer $15 per month for the same service. Connection
taxes, which were between $5 and $50, have now been eliminated. (16)
