British consumers confused by terms such as broadband

Many British people struggle with technical language, which suggests more needs to be done to educate the population, new research suggests.

According to a study of 3,000 internet users commissioned by Virgin Media, 18 per cent of Britons are unaware of the meaning of the term broadband.

Moreover, 40 per cent of people are unsure what a web browser is, while around 50 per cent are confused as to how broadband speeds are monitored.

These findings are being taken as a signal for the need for greater education about technology to ensure the public can gain maximum benefits from services such as broadband.

Jon James, executive director of broadband at Virgin Media, said: "It's great to see that Brits have a thirst for getting online but there is still scope to improve their broadband experience.

"We want to help people understand the language of the internet by cutting through the jargon, using simple and honest terms that everyone can understand and bringing broadband back to basics."

In other news, the San Francisco Giants baseball team has implemented a VoIP solution ahead of their 2009 season, reports TMCnet.