Almost four million homes in the UK have connected to the Internet in the past 12 months, latest quarterly research published today from British Telecoms regulator Oftel said.
The survey of 2,089 adults during May 2001 reveals 10 million homes have an Internet connection, a rise from six million in May 2000 and eight-and-a-half million in February 2001.
A growing number of UK homes are also choosing fully unmetered products, with 24 per cent of households connected to the Internet in this way compared with 18 per cent in February 2001.
Oftel’s latest quarterly research also surveyed the fixed and mobile telephony markets and found that:
- Mobile ownership continues to rise with 70 per cent of UK adults claiming to own a mobile phone and pre-paid packages remaining the most popular (79 per cent).
- A total of 15 per cent of consumers consider their mobile phone to be their main method of making and receiving calls, nine out of ten consumers without a fixed line at home use a mobile phone and only 1 per cent of homes own neither a mobile nor fixed-line phone.
- Although 95 per cent of consumers say they are satisfied with their fixed service, almost half are not aware of indirect telephone services available to them over the telephone line already in their home.
"These findings show that, in general, consumers are taking advantage of the choices available to them. For example, almost a third of mobile consumers have changed either their mobile network or package," Oftel director of regulatory policy Mr Chris Kenny said.