24 April 2006
UK adults can save over 100 hours a year of their time by using a broadband Internet connection, rather than the older dial-up version, claims new research.
The study by the independent comparison and switching service uSwitch states that 'heavy' Internet users could be wasting as many as 108 hours a year by using a dial-up package, as opposed to broadband, to browse the Internet and download information and items.
uSwitch points out that this would enable these people to have enough time to watch all 72 matches in the forthcoming football World Cup.
In addition, both 'medium' and 'light' Internet users would save around 54 and 16 hours respectively each year.
Using the adage that time is money, uSwitch calculated that the 'cost' of the time wasted by the 5.4 million UK households still using a dial-up connection is £3.2 billion.
Chris Williams, telecoms expert at uSwitch, commented: "Online shopping is growing six times faster than the high street and downloading is now second nature for millions of UK Internet users, as we become a nation of 'cybercitizens'.
"With fierce competition in the broadband market resulting in the wider availability of faster speeds at cheaper prices and 2006 set to see the widespread launch of IPTV, there is no excuse for people not to make the switch from dial-up to broadband."
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