Digital divide survey analysing the ".IT" registrar market

In this paper the identification of factors contributing to the differences on Internet use (digital divide) in Italy, during recent years, was reported, focused on the analysis of the market of "Registrars" in the domain name registration field. In particular a comparison between the results of a similar study, done until December 2005, and the data of domain names registered by "Registrars" up to December 2010, was carried out. In Italy, the registration of a new Internet domain name is usually made through a service company (Registrar) accredited by the National Registry, where all data related to such registration are managed. In order to analyse the diffusion of the Internet in Italy, the number of Registrars and the number of registered domains were used as indicators. To define the factors that determine the digital divide the regression multiple model was utilized, based on the stepwise method. The dependent variable taken into consideration was the penetration rate at the regional level and the independent variables were regional economic, cultural, demographic and technological factors. Above all the regions with a low unemployment rate and with high economic values, such as added value per employee and high per capita income, are more inclined to use the network. Furthermore, the level of education resulted a decisive factor: as a matter of fact, regions with a high number of graduates, specialized in ICT fields, are more inclined to utilize the Internet technology than those that register a number of ICT graduates below the average. Finally, an interesting result was that, in Italy, a few Registrars register a higher percentage of domain names under the Country Top Level Domain ".it". The phenomenon of the registration of domain names is concentrated in the hands of a few Registrars. This aspect was significantly evidenced in 2010.