Number Of Homes 'On-Line' Continue To Rise

Almost four million homes have connected to the Internet in the past twelve months according to Oftel's latest quarterly research published today.

Conducted in May 2001, the survey reveals that 10 million homes now have an Internet connection, a rise from six million in May 2000 and eight and a half million in February 2001. An increasing number of UK homes are also choosing fully unmetered products with 24% of households connected to the Internet in this way compared with 18% in February 2001.

Oftel's latest quarterly research also surveyed the fixed and mobile telephony markets and found that:

• mobile ownership continues to rise with 70% of UK adults claiming to own a mobile phone and pre-paid packages remaining the most popular (79%),
• 15% of consumers consider their mobile phone to be their main method of making and receiving calls,
• nine out of ten consumers without a fixed line at home use a mobile phone and only one percent of homes own neither a mobile or fixed line phone, and
• although 95% of consumers state they are satisfied with their fixed service, almost half are not aware of indirect telephone services available to them over the telephone line already in their home.

Chris Kenny, Oftel's Director of Regulatory Policy, said today,

"These findings show that, in general, consumers are taking advantage of the choices available to them. For example, almost a third of mobile consumers have changed either their mobile network or package."

"However, there is evidence that, particularly in the fixed market, there is still a need to increase consumer awareness."

"Satisfaction levels also remain high, over 90% of fixed, mobile and Internet consumers are satisfied with the overall service they receive from their provider."

"These findings contribute to Oftel's ongoing policy work and also feed into market reviews, including the Internet Market Review to be published later this month".

The key trends in the mobile and fixed telephony, and Internet markets have also been summarised in a new document produced today by Oftel.

Technical details

Four documents have been published today by Oftel and they can be found on Oftel's website. They are:

Consumers' Use of Internet - www.oftel.gov.uk/publications/research/2001/q5intr0701.htm

Consumers' Use of Fixed Telecoms Services - www.oftel.gov.uk/publications/research/2001/q5fixr0701.htm

Consumers' Use of Mobile Telephony - www.oftel.gov.uk/publications/research/2001/q5mobr0701.htm

Key trends in fixed and mobile telephony, and Internet - www.oftel.gov.uk/publications/research/2001/tren0701.htm

Hard copies of these reports are available to the media from Oftel's Press Office on 020-7634 8991 and to the public from the Research & Intelligence Unit on 020-7634 8761.

The surveys were conducted for Oftel by MORI amongst 2,089 UK adults during May 2001 and are the fifth wave of Oftel's quarterly residential consumer research. Oftel has a continuing programme of research that is used in on-going policy work and market reviews.

The report should not be seen as recommended best buys and should not therefore be relied upon when making purchase decisions. Oftel has conducted its own checks on the data in this report and whilst we consider it to be correct, Oftel accepts no liability in respect of any of the results provided to it by MORI or any decisions taken by any person in reliance on the report