Ofcom: UK is the most digitally aware nation in Europe

You might think that you spend a fair amount of time on the Internet, and that’s true, when pitted with others users in the UK. What you don’t know is that you’re part of the population of people who spend the most time online in Europe. Earlier reports have revealed that more and more Britons are now online. This was from data published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Since the three months from September, it was found that 164,000 adults who are ages 75 and over were able to use the Internet during the time period.

Not only are there more Britons online; but UK users are also the most digitally aware as well. This was revealed by Ofcom, who found that Britons spent more time online, owned more smartphones, watched more television, and owned more video recorders than any other nation in the whole of Europe.

On average, Britons spend around 746 minutes online every week. This is longer than most of the world’s other major economies except for the United States. The regulator also reported that the UK digital TV penetration was also highest at 97%. France came in second with 93% penetration.

It was also revealed that 36% of Britons owned a digital recorder. Next in line is France at 21% and Germany and Italy at 22%.

Ofcom research director, James Thickett, said that competition for consumer electronics like smartphones and tablets did not lead to a decrease in television viewing habits. “Instead of one technology replacing another we are seeing people learning to simultaneously use different devices. You might be watching TV while texting or checking Facebook messages. Far from getting lost in this digital revolution, the opposite is happening, TV has managed to reinvent itself as a medium that complements other media.”

With such a high percentage of people with a broadband connection and the growth of UK mobile broadband connections we’re not suprised to hear this news!

Source – The Guardian