ICT usage in households

National Statistical Institute

'Labour market, R&D, innovation and information society statistics' 

Maia Papazova

Lyubomira Angelova

State expert

Chief expert

2, P. Volov Str.; 1038 Sofia, Bulgaria

[email protected]

[email protected]

+359 2 9857 733

+359 2 9857 169

The survey on ICT usage in households and by individuals is part of the European Community Statistical Programme and is carried out on an annual basis in all EU member states by a common methodology. The aim of the survey is to collect and disseminate reliable and comparable information on the dissemination and use of ICT in households and by individuals in Bulgaria. The data are collected by a harmonised questionaire of Eurostat which is updated each year to reflect the evolving situation of information and communication technologies.

The survey covers the following subjects:

• access to and use of ICT by individuals and/or in households;
• use of internet for different purposes by individuals and/or in households;
• ICT security;
• Digital skills;
• e-Commerce;
• barriers to use of ICT and the internet;
• perceived effects of ICT usage on individuals and/or in households.

· National Classification of Occupations and Duties-2005 (NCOD-2005) - until 2010;

· National Classification of Occupations and Duties-2011 (NCOD-2011) - since 1 January 2011;

· International Standard Classification of Education, 1997 version (ISCED '97) - until 2013;

· International Standard Classification of Education, 2011 version (ISCED 2011) - since 2014;

· Classification of territorial units for statistical purposes in Bulgaria (NUTS).

The survey on ICT usage in households covers regular households which have at least one member aged between 16 and 74 years from different regions in Bulgaria and all their members aged between 16 and 74 years. The sample size for each year is about 5000 households which are randomly selected.

Household is two or more persons, living in one dwelling or part of dwelling, sharing common budget and eating together. Household is also a person, living in one dwelling, room or part of it, who has a separate budget for the cost of meals and expenses to satisfy other needs.

A computer is a desktop, laptop, netbook or tablet computer. The following devices should not be considered as computers: Smart phones, PDA with mobile phone facilities, games consoles, media players or e-book readers.

The fixed connection to the internet includes ADSL, SDSL, VDSL, fiber optics technology (FTTP), cable technology, etc.

Digital skills indicator measures people's digital literacy and competence, and it is based on selected activities related to internet and software use performed by individuals in five specific areas: information and data literacy; communication and collaboration; problem solving; digital content creation and safety skills. According to the variety and complexity of activities performed, several levels of skills are computed - no skills, low, basic or above basic digital skills.

Households and individuals

The survey population of Households consists of all private households having at least one member in the age group 16 to 74 years.

Households located in any part of the territory of the country.

Annual time series are available from 2004 onwards. The contents of the model questionnaire is adapted each year to measure the development of the use of ICT. Therefore not all variables have long time series.

Not applicable.

Sample statistical survey on the ICT usage in households and by individuals.

Data are collected on an annual basis.

Face-to-face interviews.

Data validation is done by logical control of the primary data and comparison with the results of previous studies. Additional checks on comparability and data quality are carried out by Eurostat.

Data processing is done by special statistical software.

Not applicable.

The Methodological Manual provides guidelines and standards for the implementation of the survey.

The national quality report provides users with basic information on quality at national level.

Main users of the data are Government institutions, research institutions and other users from the country, the European Commission, the International Communication Union and other international organizations.

Not available.

The survey on ICT usage in households and by individuals implements the full set of compulsory variables, according to EU Regulations.

Not applicable.

The sample used for the ICT usage in households and by individuals survey is a two-stage stratified cluster sample which includes about 5000 households. Due to the sampling approach used the estimation of the parameters obtained from the survey could vary from those in the population due to sampling errors, errors due to non-response, errors in registration or processing, etc.

Standard sampling errors are calculated and reported for a selection of indicators and breakdowns by the use of special statistical software.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

The non responce rate of the 2023 survey on ICT usage in households is 22% for the households and 30% for the individuals.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

In accordance to the Rules for Dissemination of Statistical Products and Services.

In accordance to the Rules for Dissemination of Statistical Products and Services.

Data are disseminated according to the NSI’s Release Calendar schedule.

Not applicable.

The final data are available in the fourth quarter of the survey year.

All deliverables are provided in time in accordance with the Release Calendar presenting the results of the statistical surveys carried out by the National Statistical Institute and the deadlines defined in the EU regulations in the ICT domain. 

Not applicable.

Fully comparable with all EU member states.

Not applicable.

Partially comparable due to the changes of the general methodology.

There are continuous time series time series for certain variables from 2004 to the present.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Regular press release in the NSI's website.

Data on ICT usage in households and by individuals are available to all users of the NSI website under the heading Information Society.

Not applicable.

In accordance to the Rules on Provision of the Anonymised Individual Data for Scientific and Research purposes.

Information services by order in accordance to the Rules for Dissemination of Statistical Products and Services.

Not applicable.

Methodological manual for statistics on the Information Society, by Eurostat.

Quality reports comprising general methodological information of the survey, on statistical unit, population, sampling design, response and non-response, data processing and sampling errors.

Not available.

· Law on Statistics

· Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 on European statistics (recital 24 and Article 20(4)) of 11 March 2009 (OJ L 87, p. 164), stipulates the need to establish common principles and guidelines ensuring the confidentiality of data used for the production of European statistics and the access to those confidential data with due account for technical developments and the requirements of users in a democratic society.

In compliance to the Law on Statistics (Articles 25 and 26).