24 August 2006

More UK residents and businesses are taking advantage of high-speed Internet access by switching to broadband, according to government figures.

Some 72.6 per cent of all Internet connections are now broadband, which has risen from 69.3 per cent in March 2006, the Office of National Statistics reports.

This represents a year-on-year increase in the broadband index of 44.4 per cent, while the number of dial-up connections continued to decrease.

The government's Index of Connectivity was designed to monitor Internet use in the UK, as officials believe that access is vital for individuals and the growth of businesses.

"E-commerce is having a huge impact on the way we do business," the office states.

"It can lead to dramatic growth in trade, increase markets, improve efficiency and effectiveness and can transform business processes."

The index of all connections, broadband and dial-up rose to 108.4 in June 2006 from March 2005, increasing by 0.7 per cent.

© Adfero Ltd

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