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Digital technology did not create the so-called "paperless society" that many had predicted, at least not yet, but it does have people communicating more than ever, says a new federal study.

The Statistics Canada paper, released Friday, examined the results first expected from the widespread use of information and communications technologies in everyday life, and it found that some have so far not materialized.

The study did discover shifting behavioural patterns, including changes in Canadians' communication and spending habits. People are talking on the phone and using e-mail more than ever, it says, and they're spending more on computer equipment and supplies, even as prices dropped.

But while the arrival of the personal computer spawned talk of the "paperless office," the study found consumption of paper for printing and writing alone more than doubled between 1983 and 2003.

It also found professional travel increased while Internet use and video-conferencing technology — major contributors to a shrinking world — were taking off.

And the agency says e-commerce sales do not justify fears about the demise of traditional retail trade.

While total private-sector sales over the Internet more than quadrupled between 2001 and 2004, they still only accounted for about 1 per cent of total sales. The number of traditional retailers, the amount of retail space and the volume of retail employment all increased over the same period, the study found.

Volumes of postal mail — snail mail — have been rising, although its composition has changed. And couriers and local messengers are proliferating even as Internet and e-mail use is soaring.

The study calls the "talkative society" one of the most visible results of the new technologies.

"People have never spoken on the telephone more," it says, "and particularly at a time when they also send and receive massive amounts of e-mail and other electronic communications.

"As people communicate more and in different ways, they are choosing to expand their associations, moving from geographically-defined communities to communities of interest."

They are also willing to pay for their choices, the agency says. The study shows that spending on information and communications technology (ICT) is rising.

Between 1997 and 2003, average household spending on computer equipment and supplies rose to $326 from $299 — even more significant given that computer prices were falling during the same period.

"The willingness of people to pay can also be seen by the fact that many low-income households choose to spend a relatively higher proportion of their income on ICTs," said Statistics Canada.

"This is because a substantial amount of ICT-related expenses are fixed, such as the price of basic telephone and cable services or Internet connections."