'Broadband market will grow 7% each year'

Broadband take-up in the UK will expand by seven per cent a year over the course of the next four years, according to a major accountancy firm.

Research from PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) has revealed that the predicted growth rate will apply to both the mobile and fixed-line broadband markets between now and 2013, which could potentially result in greater use of VoIP hardware among both business and domestic users.

In addition, penetration of broadband connectivity within the UK is forecast to grow by nearly 40 per cent as a direct result of pressure on internet service providers to invest in next-generation networks.

Phil Stokes, head of entertainment and media for PwC, said: "National internet access is no longer purely a competitive advantage for an individual country, but will be key to leading in the global economy as the world emerges from recession."

Major internet service provider Virgin Media recently launched a new 50 megabit-per-second broadband service, while rival firm BT is investing £1.5 billion in new networks that are being tested around the UK.