UK has 4m broadband surfers

Broadband usage in Britain is on the rise, with a quarter of UK internet users now signed up to a high-speed service, according to the latest figures.

Research from regulator Ofcom shows that by the end of April 2004 there were four million broadband users, with new connections being added at a rate of 40,000 each week.

As a result of the broadband uptake the survey also reports a small decline in the use of narrowband services – from 73 per cent down to 67 per cent.

More than half (53 per cent) of UK adults now have internet access at home, a figure up from 50 per cent in November 2003. DSL broadband services are currently available to 85 per cent of UK homes and businesses and cable modem services to 45 per cent.

BT has promised to provide 99.6 per cent of all UK households with broadband access by summer 2005. The Government’s target is for the UK to have the most extensive and competitive broadband market of the G7 countries by 2005.