Broadband's popularity continues to rise

The percentage of people connected to the internet via broadband continues to grow.

The latest figures from the Office of National Statistics show that broadband connections make up 53.9 per cent of all internet connections, up from 52.4 per cent in June 2005.

The number of connections has also grown, with a 4.7 per cent increase between July 2004 and July 2005.

Dial-up connections continue to decline and now account for just 46.1 per cent of all internet connections.

Blair Wadman, broadband product manager at independent comparison and switching service uSwitch.com said: “Broadband growth has been very healthy over the past year. Sign-ups are increasing at a rate of 77 per cent since this time last year and we expect it will continue to grow.

“The latest internet connectivity figures highlight the steady switching by consumers from dial-up to broadband as they begin to enjoy what broadband has to offer.

“Broadband is a must-have in today’s home and a couple of recent trends highlight its potential. There is an increase in demand for websites offering rich content including media clips, such as sports sites showing match highlights and interviews, and broadband is essential for this.”