A growing number of households are adopting high-speed connections and this should bolster the argument for the roll-out of super-fast broadband across the nation. Experts believe that access to high-speed connections in isolated areas could help to breathe new life into countryside communities and boost the rural economy.
Super-fast broadband growing
The number of broadband lines in the UK is expected to hit 25.1m by the end of 2014, according to a new forecast by broadband analysis firm Point Topic. If realised, the total number of lines will be almost 1m higher than previously predicted. "People with dial-up internet access converted to broadband in their millions in the boom years," observed Tim Johnson, chief analyst at Point Topic. "We forecast that super-fast broadband will do the same around the middle of this coming decade."
The short-term outlook for broadband is also good. Figures show there were almost 18.4m lines at the end of 2009, which was 80,000 more than expected. By the end of 2010, there should be just less than 19.8m broadband lines in the UK. This is perhaps unsurprising when consumers' desire for fast connection speeds is taken into account. A recent survey by O2 questioned more than 2,000 people and found that 41% of respondents regarded a slow internet connection as the most annoying part of their day.
Point Topic believes that its new forecasts are good news for broadband operators and service providers, and that they should improve the business case for investment in super-fast broadband. Mr Johnson noted that super-fast broadband has not yet been confirmed as a must-have service for homes. However, he claimed that this barrier will be "swept aside" as demand for bandwidth and a quality user experience increases.
Good for rural economy
This in turn could be good news for rural areas, according to the Communications Consumer Panel, an independent body that advises the Office of Communications (Ofcom), the government and EU policymakers. A spokesman for the organisation said that widespread super-fast broadband access could "revitalise" rural economies.
"The social and economic benefits of super-fast broadband could include, for example, telemedicine and other tools to support assisted living at home for older people, supporting people in working from home and boosting the efficiency of small businesses," the spokesman revealed. It could also provide new ways for people to access education materials and facilitate lifelong learning, he said.
Citizens are already better-informed as a result of the internet, but people need to know they can use the internet to participate fully in society in a reliable and consistent way, he continued. "To achieve this goal, the government will need to ensure that the commitment will keep pace with consumers' demands over the years ahead."
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Quelle/Source: CompareAndSave, 28.05.2010