Computer sales soared in Greece by 30.7 percent year-on-year in the first quarter of 2008, according to provisional data released by information technology researcher IDC.

The company reported sales of some 265,000 computers in the January-March period, up from 202,000 units sold in the same period last year.

Once again the great boost to the local market came from portable computers (laptops), whose annual growth volume stands at 60 percent. IDC suggests that 130,000 laptops were sold in the first quarter of this year, up from 88,000 in 2007.

“The comparison shows that sales in Greece register a considerable growth rate from quarter to quarter and from year to year, confirming forecasts and estimates by analysts that computer use is spreading across the Greek economy and society,” reads a statement by the Federation of Hellenic IT and Communications Enterprises (SEPE).

The statement adds that the market of computers and servers grew by 4.4 percent in 2005, then the rate reached 11.9 percent in 2006 and soared to 29.7 percent last year.

IDC figures show that Hewlett-Packard was the top supplier of the local market, with a share of 18.5 percent and a growth rate of 76.8 percent. It was followed by Plaisio Computers, Acer, Toshiba and Dell.