Oftel Publishes Consumers' use of Internet: residential survey Q4 February 20

[silver]

from http://www.oftel.gov.uk/publications...ernetr0501.htm (reported on n4n)

...
Summary findings

2.1 Home Internet access continues to grow. By February 2001, 34% of UK homes said they were connected, up from 30% in November 2000. This represents an increase of 1 million homes connected to the Internet since November, with a total of 8.5 million homes connected by February 2001.

2.2 Home Internet access rose amongst most subgroups of the population between August and November. Although access remains highest amongst younger and middle aged groups, higher income and large households, an increasing number of DE homes and older consumers are connecting.

2.3 Whilst the vast majority of customers still access the Internet via the traditional PC and ordinary phoneline / dial up method, already small numbers, particularly younger consumers, are adopting new technologies including mobile phones, digital TV, and to a lesser extent games consoles and personal organisers. Internet access via digital TV was also popular amongst increasing numbers of lower income groups. Take up of high speed Internet access via ADSL technology remains low at just less than 1% amongst Internet homes.

2.4 Use of unmetered packages continues to grow - with over a third of Internet homes (35%) currently claiming to use fully or partially unmetered packages. Average weekly household time spent on-line remained stable at about 7 hours, and while this was inflated by a small number of heavy users, customers with unmetered packages (c. 10 hours) spent about twice as long on-line as those on pay per use packages (c. 5 hours).

2.5 As found in previous months, the vast majority of customers (90%) were satisfied with their home Internet service. The November report identified the most satisfactory aspects of Internet service, which included ISP quality of service and to a lesser extent call and subscription charges. Fewer were satisfied the speed of their service, and with the choice of speeds available for accessing and using the Internet although this may partly reflect lack of awareness of alternatives available.

2.6 A further 15% of UK homes thought they would be likely to connect to the Internet within the next 12 months. A similar proportion identified significant barriers that would prevent them from connecting in the short term, and said that cheaper call, subscription, and equipment costs, along with better provision of information detailing the potential uses and benefits of the Internet, and advice on how to connect, would encourage them to get access sooner. A significant proportion of UK homes however (36%) said they didn’t want or need the Internet at home

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Main findings

The extent of UK Internet usage at home

3.1 Across the UK, an average 34% (see note 3) of homes (8.5 million) claimed to be connected to the Internet during February 2001, a growth of 1 million in the 3 months since November 2000 (30%). A further 6% of adults who do not have home Internet access said they use the Internet at work / place of study, or elsewhere. Figure 3a shows home Internet connection trends since January ’99.

3.2 Until August 2000, PC ownership had remained fairly unchanged around the 40% mark since January 1999. By November 2000 however, it had risen to 46% and has continued to rise to 48%. Until recently, PCs have been almost the sole method of home Internet access and we will continue to track these levels in subsequent surveys as the uptake and expansion of alternative means of access such as digital TV continues.

3.3 During February 5% of Internet homes (c. 2% UK homes) claimed to be accessing the Internet via their TV

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(lots) more...

Sil

[panikos]

The increases seem fairly dramatic for such a short time. I'm half expecting to see empty streets and shops cos everone is online.

[Number 6]

Thanks Silver,

An interesting post.

Be seeing you,

Number 6

[Mickuk]

Thankz Sil

Hi Number 6, do u watch The Prisoner on Sky Digital, its still brill and makes u think ? we are all numbers and not free in my opinion

B C U

[Number 6]

Hi Mick, hope you are well,

Sadly I will not be free to watch The Prisoner until July, other commitments, can say no more.

Number 6

[Mickuk]

Hi Number 6, no problem I will tape them 4 u , well not too bad thanks but healing is very hard work, its a shame people turn to us when medicine fails and expect healing to work instanly, of course it can but people's immune system is very low due to drugs, antibiotics, toxins, poisons etc.

Do yourself a favour folks eat organic foods, don't drink the crap that comes out of the tap, get a water filter and drink 6 glasses of pure spring water a day plus organic fruit and veg, cut down on red meat and poultry they contain antibiotics and groth chemicals, plus we lack the trace elements that used to be in soil, please note donot stop taking medication without consulting your G.P. but ask them about the side affects.

Mick, Reiki Master, Teacher

B C U, Number 6

[Worldlife]

Thanks Silv for your excellent summary... title of this put me off as I thought there would be pages of bumpff to read through.

Interesting ten hours a week counts as being a heavy user!

I'm a heavy user

Feel I'm now part of the elite.

Hi,

Only 10 hrs for heavy,

Dammn I so heavy I can't get of the chair.

STS