'Communications more important than holidays and DIY'

Around 50 per cent of Britons place more importance on their broadband connectivity and general communications than they do on DIY and holidays, new figures reveal.

A study from communications regulator Ofcom found that in a bid to reduce their outgoings, many Britons would sacrifice holidays and DIY work in the home before they would think about scaling back their broadband or phone usage.

The internet is becoming increasingly integral to everyday life and technology such as VoIP hardware is making communication cheaper and easier.

Meleri Thomas, communications manager at Ofcom, said: "We didn't measure people's attitudes but you could argue that consumers are placing a great deal of importance on being able to communicate."

She added that mobile and internet use continues to grow and the demand for good-value services is also on the rise.

Web users spent an average of 25 minutes online every day in May this year, while only ten per cent would scale back their internet activity to save money, according to Ofcom figures.