Broadband starts to rival dial-up
Broadband has out-stripped unmetered dial-up connections in the UK for the first time, official figures show.
According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the number of always-on connections reached 31% in July, compared with 29% for unmetered access.
Competition, falling prices and better availability is fuelling the growth.
Although dial-up is on the wane, it is still the way most Britons connect to the net, with more than a third paying per minute.
Cost effective
The monthly figures from the ONS reflect the general switch to broadband in the UK.
Many net providers now offer a range of broadband packages and some, like Wanadoo (formerly Freeserve), have started to encourage their large base of dial-up customers to swap to their broadband offerings.
Competition has driven down the cost of broadband. In some cases, it is comparable with the cost of an unmetered 56Kbps dial-up connection.
By comparison, the standard broadband account offers speeds of 512Kbps.
The ONS figures suggest that the appeal of an always-on connection is tempting people away from paying a fixed amount for a dial-up net subscription.
The statistics for July show broadband overtaking unmetered for the first time.
"The increase in the market share for permanent connections reflects the continued marketing drive, competitive pricing and the increase in availability of broadband services," said the ONS report
"However, dial-up still dominates the overall number of subscriptions despite decreasing to 69.1% of all subscriptions in July 2004."
This is because many people - 35% - go online using dial-up, paying for the time they are connected to the internet.
The number of people switching to broadband looks set to increase. In early September, BT scrapped exchange distance limits, putting a million more homes and businesses in reach of broadband.
Now anyone living more than 6km from an ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line) exchange will be able to get a 512Kbps connection.
More than 91% of the UK has access to a broadband-enabled exchange. The figure is set to surpass 99% by summer 2005.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/3667142.stm
Full Version: Broadband starts to rival dial-up
Broadband hits new high in the UK
Broadband in the UK has hit a new milestone, with more than five million people now having high-speed net connections, say broadband analysts.
It will surpass eight million by the end of next year, according to figures compiled by Telecom Markets' Broadband Subscriber Database.
With 20% of households hooked up to the technology, it is time to look at the next phase say experts.
This includes a new look at how to make super-fast broadband widely available.
Changing technology
"To move past five million is quite significant as it shows a move towards mass adoption," said Antony Walker, chief executive of the Broadband Stakeholder Group, one of the UK's key advisory bodies on broadband.
It means the UK is finally catching up with its European neighbours in ensuring that as many people as possible have access to broadband.
"Just because we are keeping pace with countries like France and Germany doesn't mean that we can sit back," said Mr Walker.
"Looking around the world it is clear that broadband is changing. It is getting faster, more mobile and is starting to deliver much more compelling services, including voice and video."
How faster services will be delivered is a key area for debate, thinks Mr Walker.
Opinion varies on the subject with some arguing for a completely new fibre-based network in the UK, while others claim the technology can be delivered over existing networks as technology gets more sophisticated.
But it is not just a question of making broadband faster
Cheap net calls and video-on-demand are just two services that will make broadband a must-have in homes.
The head of the broadband group said it could also play a major part in delivering online government services for citizens and transforming education and broadcasting.
The BBC could play a key role in the new debate for broadband, not only in terms of educating and communicating the benefits of broadband to the wider public but also in the way the organisation exploits the technology, suggested Mr Walker.
Ashley Highfield, director of New Media and Technology at the BBC, agrees.
"It means creating both reversioned and original audio video content for a broadband audience, which can be used whenever, wherever and however they want it," he said, commenting on the group's suggestions.
Unbundling broadband
The figures collated by the Telecom Markets' Broadband Subscriber Database show that by the end of the year 3.6 million subscribers will access broadband via the telephone line.
Some 40% will get it directly through BT while the rest will use an ISP that buys broadband lines wholesale from BT.
Nearly two million people will access broadband via cable.
So-called unbundled services that operate completely independently of BT have yet to make an impact in the UK with only 13,000 subscribers accessing broadband via this route.
Analysts predict that broadband subscriptions will rise rapidly in the next year as prices fall and new services such as broadband telephony are launched.
There will also be an increase in the number of unbundled services on offer as BT reduces the price of creating alternative networks.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/3697892.stm
Broadband in the UK has hit a new milestone, with more than five million people now having high-speed net connections, say broadband analysts.
It will surpass eight million by the end of next year, according to figures compiled by Telecom Markets' Broadband Subscriber Database.
With 20% of households hooked up to the technology, it is time to look at the next phase say experts.
This includes a new look at how to make super-fast broadband widely available.
Changing technology
"To move past five million is quite significant as it shows a move towards mass adoption," said Antony Walker, chief executive of the Broadband Stakeholder Group, one of the UK's key advisory bodies on broadband.
It means the UK is finally catching up with its European neighbours in ensuring that as many people as possible have access to broadband.
"Just because we are keeping pace with countries like France and Germany doesn't mean that we can sit back," said Mr Walker.
"Looking around the world it is clear that broadband is changing. It is getting faster, more mobile and is starting to deliver much more compelling services, including voice and video."
How faster services will be delivered is a key area for debate, thinks Mr Walker.
Opinion varies on the subject with some arguing for a completely new fibre-based network in the UK, while others claim the technology can be delivered over existing networks as technology gets more sophisticated.
But it is not just a question of making broadband faster
Cheap net calls and video-on-demand are just two services that will make broadband a must-have in homes.
The head of the broadband group said it could also play a major part in delivering online government services for citizens and transforming education and broadcasting.
The BBC could play a key role in the new debate for broadband, not only in terms of educating and communicating the benefits of broadband to the wider public but also in the way the organisation exploits the technology, suggested Mr Walker.
Ashley Highfield, director of New Media and Technology at the BBC, agrees.
"It means creating both reversioned and original audio video content for a broadband audience, which can be used whenever, wherever and however they want it," he said, commenting on the group's suggestions.
Unbundling broadband
The figures collated by the Telecom Markets' Broadband Subscriber Database show that by the end of the year 3.6 million subscribers will access broadband via the telephone line.
Some 40% will get it directly through BT while the rest will use an ISP that buys broadband lines wholesale from BT.
Nearly two million people will access broadband via cable.
So-called unbundled services that operate completely independently of BT have yet to make an impact in the UK with only 13,000 subscribers accessing broadband via this route.
Analysts predict that broadband subscriptions will rise rapidly in the next year as prices fall and new services such as broadband telephony are launched.
There will also be an increase in the number of unbundled services on offer as BT reduces the price of creating alternative networks.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/3697892.stm
I can't afford it... my computer would be too slow for it anyway...
It would implode!
It would implode!
There are quite a few ISP's offering the basic broadband for very little more than dial-up. As for your computer, the minimum system requirements needed to run an adsl modem or cable through a box are not too high. 
Well...once you go from dial up to broadband there is no going back...
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