Drop in Orange broadband customer levels

Whilst a number of broadband companies have enjoyed growth even in the current economic climate one broadband provider has seen its broadband customer numbers fall.

The ongoing recession in the UK coupled with the continued effects of the global credit crunch, which began in 2007, have continued to wreak havoc in many different industries within the UK, and whilst the broadband market has not suffered to the same degree as many other industries there are some broadband companies that have seen business dwindling over the course of this year.

Whilst one communications giant, BT, has reported an increase in customer numbers in the second quarter of this year, Orange Broadband is said to have seen its numbers fall according to a recent report, making it one of the providers that is seeing the adverse effects of the recession.

For the first six months of this year Orange has lost around ten percent of its ADSL customers according to recently released figures. Numbers are said to have fallen from 1.142 million in 2007 to just 954,000. However, the provider still has ninety three thousand dial up Internet customers according to the report.

Part of France Telecom, Orange has stated that nearly fifty percent of its customers are now on unbundled connections. Officials have said that the drop in figures for Orange is the result of customers leaving because of high prices and issues with performance. Some customers have confirmed that their reasons for leaving Orange and moving over to another broadband provider are to do with the hefty hikes in prices that Orange has applied, as most people are not prepared to pay higher prices in the current economic climate.

Source – TechWatch