Broadband 'hit by slowdown'

Broadband takeup in the UK has been hit by the economic slowdown, despite having previously been unaffected by it, according to an analysis firm.

Point Topic said that the number of new lines in the third quarter of 2008 was 20 per cent below predictions.

In its April forecast, the company expected 800,000 to be added in the second half of the year, which was backed up by figures for June which were ahead of expectations.

However, to reach the forecast 390,000 lines were required from July to September, but Point Topic estimated the amount to be just 313,000.

The company said in a statement: "This will be a blow to the government's objectives for digital inclusion.

"Plans by the Department for Children, Schools and Families to subsidise internet access for up to 150,000 children should help to make up the shortfall but they are unlikely to fill the gap completely."

It now predicts only 620,000 new lines for July to December, with 1.1 million in the whole of next year (down 200,000 from April's prediction), with a total of 18.4 million connections by the end of 2009 (down 300,000).