Broadband uptake on the decline

The number of people subscribing to broadband has plummeted, according to new figures from market experts.

Point Topic estimated that no more than 470,000 new subscribers have taken up broadband from July to September in the UK, reaching a total of 14.98 million.

"The reason for the sudden drop is largely the shrinking size of the remaining pool of dial-up users," Tim Johnson, chief analyst at Point Topic, told Vnunet.

"There are fewer [dial-up users] and the ones that are left are more resistant to change. On top of that, the industry has been failing to bring enough new homes on line."

The second quarter itself saw a sharp drop in new uptakes of broadband and this was itself 40,000 less than the third quarter.

"We believe this sends a danger signal for broadband Britain with almost 40 per cent of British households on the wrong side of the digital divide," said Mr Johnson.

"The social and economic progress of the UK will be stalled unless the great majority of these homes can be brought on to the internet."