UK broadband set to hit 1.9 million households
The rollout of fast Intenet access across the UK is expected to reach 1.9 million households within the next 12 months according...
The Continental Research Summer 2002 Internet survey of 2,100 Internet users estimated that 1.2 million homes have ISDN, ADSL or fast access through cable. Thanks to a wider take-up of ADSL, the survey predicted that this figure would grow by a further 700,000.
At the moment cable companies NTL and Telewest are in a strong position. NTL estimates that most higher-speed users (not including those with ISDN) are running a high-speed cable modem rather than ADSL access.
But as the cable companies can only offer a service in their franchise areas, ADSL may become the preferred means of high-speed Net access across the UK as BT upgrades more exchanges to offer ADSL. This is likely to be fuelled by the recent ADSL price cuts.
Continental Research found that a total of 10 million households are connected to the Internet. The majority (88%) use slow dial-up modem connections over a regular phone line.
Continental added that 17.9 million people regularly use the Internet from home and/or work. The biggest spenders on-line are 35 to 44-year-olds, and 70% of on-line expenditure comes from males.
