Access to broadband in the UK continues to increase

A recent report has shown that access to broadband in the UK, over both fixed and mobile networks, has continued to flourish, and is expected to continue rising over the next several years.

It is not hard to work out why Internet access and broadband access has become increasingly important to so many people over recent years, with more and more people relying on broadband to everything from business and education to entertainment and more. Over recent years the number of people accessing broadband Internet has increased significantly, and according to some industry officials this level of growth is expected to continue its growth.

The reports suggest that over the next four years access to broadband over either fixed line connections or mobile broadband connections are likely to grow by around 7 percent per year. This is based on a compound annual growth rate between 2009 and 2013. The research was carried out by PriceWaterhouseCoopers, and the overall figures showed that over the forecast period the number of broadband connections will have increased by around 40 percent.

With the UK trying to invest on a large scale when it comes to next generation broadband, the popularity of these services is expected to continue rising over the coming years. One industry official went on to state that not only was broadband access becoming a service that offered many benefits to consumers, but it was becoming an essential service for many, and one that could help to pull the country out of recession. He stated: “National internet access is no longer purely a competitive advantage for an individual country, but will be key to leading in the global economy as the world emerges from recession.”

The popularity of broadband take up is expected to be exacerbated as a result of the rising take up of 3G broadband, which has proven popular amongst many different industry groups, such as those without fixed line access, those with restricted space, and those that need access to the Internet whilst out and about.