A new report from eMarketer says that, by many measures, Britain has become Europe’s leading online economy.
The
UK Online report says that as telecom competition drives down prices, growing numbers of Britons are upgrading to broadband speeds.
According to eMarketer, the UK now boasts the fifth-largest broadband population in the world. With 12 million households in 2006, the UK ranks just ahead of Germany (11.8 million) and France (11.2 million).
EMarketer says that faster internet connections mean that UK broadband users now spend up to six hours more online each week.
| Broadband Households And Penetration In Select Countries Worldwide, 2006 (Millions And % Of Total Households) |
| |
Broadband Households |
% Of Total Households |
| US |
54.6 |
45.9% |
| China |
46.6 |
12.6% |
| Japan |
23.7 |
52.3% |
| South Korea |
12.7 |
78.8% |
| UK |
12.0 |
47.1% |
| Germany |
11.8 |
30.8% |
| France |
11.2 |
42.3% |
| Italy |
7.9 |
35.4% |
| Canada |
7.4 |
58.0% |
| Spain |
5.5 |
41.7% |
| Brazil |
4.9 |
10.6% |
| Australia |
3.5 |
45.4% |
| Mexico |
3.0 |
12.3% |
| India |
2.3 |
1.2% |
| Argentina |
1.4 |
13.1% |
| Rest Of World |
42.7 |
3.0% |
| Worldwide |
251.2 |
10.5% |
| Note: eMarketer defines ‘broadband’ as an internet connection of 200 kbps in at least one direction; includes ADSL, cable, satellite, fixed wireless, fibre, powerline, WiMAX and emerging broadband technologies accessed at home. |
| Source: eMarketer |
The online research firm estimates that by 2011, Britain’s broadband penetration will increase to nearly 76.8%, or 20 million households.
In figures released yesterday, the Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB) and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) revealed that UK internet advertising expenditure grew 41% in 2006, breaking the £2 billion barrier for the first time (see UK Internet Advertising Spend Grows 41%).
Towards the end of February, the Office Of National Statistics released research which showed that eight out of ten UK internet connections are now via broadband (see UK Broadband Connections Increase).
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