Many local businesses will soon be asked to participate in Bermuda's first comprehensive e-business survey as the first step in setting up a "National Plan" for e-commerce on the Island.

In an official press release from Government Information Services, the Minister of Telecommunications and E-commerce Renee Webb urged all businesses to cooperate with the telephone survey which will begin in the next few weeks.

Ms Webb said: "This survey is an important component of the e-Business National Plan we are developing to take forward the development of e-business on the Island."

And she said this plan was an important step in attracting international business to process their data, information and e-business processing capability on the Island.

She added: "It is clearly important to local business, whether in the hospitality, retail, finance or construction sectors as well as Government, are seen to be leaders in the e-business field.

"I would thus urge all business to cooperate in this phone survey so that we are able to gain a comprehensive picture on the needs and aspirations of our businesses."

The survey will be used to track the use of e-business techniques and technology across the Island and in all business sectors.

The survey will include questions on what e-business techniques companies currently use if any, the advantages they see in e-business, the challenges and difficulties faced as well as what opportunities there could be in the future.

Ms Webb said: "E-business is much more than simply having a web site or selling goods to customers online, it is about gradual transformation of businesses so that all the different components, from marketing through invoicing to staff training and development are e-enabled."

She said the results of the survey would be made public in the New Year and will help the Ministry of Telecommunications and E-commerce get a clearer picture of how to encourage and develop the use of e-business techniques on the Island.

Ms. Webb also said it would help Bermuda International Business Association (BIBA) and the Chamber of Commerce to attract international business to the Island.

The survey has been developed by the ministry in consultation with BIBA and the e-business development committee of the Chamber of Commerce and will be carried out by Research Innovations. The survey expects to contact about 800 companies with all information remaining anonymous about individual companies.