Ofcom has published its eighth Annual Communications Market Report, which covers the world of TV, radio, internet and telecoms services. The figures show some interesting variations across the UK regions, and are usefully split out to show differences between urban and rural areas.
Take-up of broadband services in English and Scottish rural areas surpasses that of the urban areas, though Scotland does have a much lower take-up overall. Oddly the rural/urban trend is reversed in Wales and Northern Ireland. The rises in broadband take-up show that it is very close to the levels of take-up for fixed landlines, and raises the question as to whether Ofcom needs to revisit the issue of Universal Service Obligation (USO). Current plans are for a USC (Universal Service Commitment) of 2Mbps in 2015, but the current USO that requires a landline to deliver functional internet access of 28Kbps is looking more like something from the 19th century.
The Scottish broadband take-up figure shows an even more distinct difference if you look at just Greater Glasgow where take-up is just 50%. Scotland was the only region to show a decrease in satisfaction with broadband speeds, now 73% rather than the 83% of the previous report. The issue with Scotland does not appear to be one of availability as the age group 35-54 year olds show a take-up of 85% (UK average 83%), so other factors are most likely at play.
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As well as looking at how popular services are, the Ofcom report also looks at what people do with their connection, with social networking sites being the most popular use of internet access on mobile phones, which has led to the smart-phone addiction headlines.
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We all spend on average 100 minutes a day online, though with the rise of smart-phones it could be said some people are online 24/7. As many would expect younger people, men and those in higher socio-economic groups are more likely to have internet access at home, with access highest amongst the 25-34 (88%) and 35-54 (87%) age groups. Households with children are more likely to have internet access, 91%, compared to just 66% of those without children.
The report really shows how the Internet in the UK is now more than ever just another utility that has become a central component to many peoples lives and livelihoods in a very short number of years. We hope that in 2012 and 2013 that FTTP services will start to figure in the percentage tables.
One possible factor (in Scotland) that is probably diffiicult if not impossible to factor in, is that in some areas it might be too costly to get broadband at home, so the users instead utilise their employer's broadband connection.
Scots being 'tight' and all that. :P