Brits spend almost 14 hours a week online

Britons spend more time on the internet than inhabitants of any other European nation, according to a report.

The UK tops the table of 12 industrialised nations in the report issued by communications regulator Ofcom.

Of the countries included in the report, the UK also offers the cheapest mobiles and broadband rates.

Broadband take-up, currently running at 60 per cent, is above the average in developed nations as is digital television take-up.

Britons spent on average 839 minutes - almost 14 hours - a week online. Only Americans were ahead, with 913 minutes a week.

Ofcom's report shows that half of the UK population uses social networking sites such as Facebook, Bebo and MySpace.

This is up 11 per cent since last year and only Canadians spend more time on social networking sites.

Uploading photos is the most popular networking activity, with 43 per cent of the population doing so.

In many nations, more women than men are using the internet, according to Ofcom, with 55 per cent of Japanese and Spanish women getting online.

However, in the UK and France there are as many women as men getting online.

The Irish came out on top when it comes to spending time on mobile phones.

Residents of Ireland spend an average of 179 minutes on their mobiles, and sent nearly twice as many text messages as Britons, according to the report.

www.ofcom.org.uk

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