UK Home Net Access Grows 50% In Q4, Says Continental

There are currently 15.4 million people accessing the internet from home – around a third of UK adults. A year ago, just 22% – or 10.3 million people – had home web access. Continental says that as users have become more familiar with using the internet to search for and buy goods and services, often by being introduced to it by other family members, so usage has steadily grown.

Whilst the growth rate year on year is still healthy, a recent report by Oftel found that for the three months to August this year, uptake was virtually flat at 39% of homes (see Forecasts).

The Continental Research survey also found that use of the Net at home amongst the C2DE demographic – which has traditionally been low – is now on the increase. C2DE users now represent nearly one-third (31%) of all home users, compared to 22% last year, according to the survey. The Oftel survey also revealed a gradual rise in internet usage by this group.

The demographic also shifted substantially towards women, with 42% now using the Net at home, compared with 38% for the July-October period in 2000. Amongst the age groups there has been little shift, apart from a slight decline in usage by the 45-54 group, from 20% to 18%.

UK Home Internet Usage In Profile
	% of UK population	% of home Internet users
		Jul-Oct 2000	Jul-Oct 2001
Male	49%	62%	58%
Female	51%	38%	42%
15-24	15%	21%	21%
25-34	19%	23%	23%
35-44	18%	24%	25%
45-54	16%	20%	18%
55-64	12%	8%	9%
65 +	20%	4%	4%
AB	22%	44%	34%
C1	28%	33%	35%
C2	22%	13%	19%
DE	28%	9%	12%
Source: Continental Research, 11.11.01

Internet usage at the workplace has remained fairly static, at around 22% people. Continental says that usage from work is checked by the fact that one-third of the population, by virtue of neither working nor studying, are not eligible for this criterion. Additionally, many people are in blue-collar professions, where opportunity to access the Internet is significantly lower. This further emphasises the importance of online access at schools to ensure children in blue-collar households have exposure to the Internet, says the report.

Home, work and school internet usage amongst UK individuals
	Jul –Oct 99	Jul -Oct 00	Jul -Oct 01
Total Home Users	16%	22%	33%
Total Work/School Users	14%	17%	22%
Total Home/Work/School Users	22%	29%	38%
Source: Contiental Research, 11.11.01