63 - Information service activities

This Chapter has been extracted from the ONS Explanatory Notes and provides a more detailed explanation of possible activities that could fall within the SIC Codes related to the Chapter.

This division includes the activities of web search portals, data processing and hosting activities, as well as other activities that primarily supply information.

63.1 Data processing, hosting and related activities; web portals

This group includes the provision of infrastructure for hosting, data processing services and
related activities, as well as the provision of search facilities and other portals for the Internet.

63.11 Data processing, hosting and related activities

This class includes:
- provision of infrastructure for hosting, data processing services and related activities
- specialized hosting activities such as:
• Web hosting
• streaming services
• application hosting
- application service provisioning
- general time-share provision of mainframe facilities to clients
- data processing activities:
• complete processing of data supplied by clients
• generation of specialized reports from data supplied by clients
- provision of data entry services

This class excludes:
- activities where the supplier uses the computers only as a tool are classified according to the nature of the services rendered

63.12 Web portals

This class includes:
- the operation of web sites that use a search engine to generate and maintain
extensive databases of Internet addresses and content in an easily searchable format.
- operation of other websites that act as portals to the Internet, such as media sites providing periodically updated content.

This class excludes:
- publishing of books, newspapers, journals etc. via Internet, see division 58
- broadcasting via Internet, see division 60

63.9 Other information service activities

This group includes the activities of news agencies and all other remaining information service activities.

This group excludes:
- activities of libraries and archives, see 91.01

63.91 News agency activities

This class includes:
- news syndicate and news agency activities furnishing news, pictures and features to the media

This class excludes:
- activities of independent photojournalists, see 74.20
- activities of independent journalists, see 90.03

63.99 Other information service activities n.e.c.

This class includes other information service activities not elsewhere classified such as:
- computer based telephone information services
- information search services on a contract or fee basis
- news clipping services, press clipping services, etc.

This class excludes:
- activities of call centres, see 82.20

 

For all queries related to this Chapter or any other aspect of SIC Codes, please contact the Office of National Statistics on 01329 444970 or email classifications.helpdesk@ons.gov.uk.