UK broadband 'still growing'

Britons are still signing up to broadband packages despite the economic downturn, a new report has revealed.

Point Topic's report for the third quarter of the year revealed that UK connections rose by 1.9 per cent to reach just over 17 million, up from 16.7 million in the second quarter.

Despite the growth, the figures mean that Britain has slipped a place in the world rankings, with France overtaking it to leave the UK in sixth.

There was also a change at the top with China overtaking the USA, while Japan and Germany remained in third and fourth respectively.

China's move to the top, along with Brazil's entry into the top ten, was indicative of a larger trend where emerging economies are driving growth, according to senior analyst Fiona Vanier.

'In South Korea, Japan, Hong Kong for example there are only a limited number of houses without broadband, so net additions are low,' she said.

'What is happening in those markets is technology substitution where consumers are ditching their DSL lines and moving to fibre where it's available.'