IT network spending by business and consumers up

19:00 17th December 2008

Recent research has revealed that spending on network equipment has risen by four per cent in the third quarter of 2008 when compared with spending during the previous three months.

Consumers and businesses were investing more in IT systems despite the credit crunch, yet the picture is even healthier when business spending is isolated.

IT analysts IDC, who commissioned the research, found Europe, Africa and the Middle East lavished $3.8 billion (£2.48 billion) on network systems throughout the quarter.

Evelien Wiggers, research manager for European enterprise communications infrastructure at IDC, commented: "We believe, however, that the fundamentals for network growth continue to be strong and that the networking market continues to see growth albeit at a much slower rate than before the economic crisis."

She added that the figures were very positive in light of the current economic malaise.

Network software controls access to and management of multiple files.