Nearly 60% say broadband speeds should increase

Almost 60 per cent of Britons think the average connection speeds provided by their internet service provider (ISP) should be increased as a priority, new figures have revealed.

Research from ISPreview.co.uk revealed that improving connection speeds is the priority for the 527 people surveyed, while lower prices came in a distant second, with 16 per cent considering it a priority.

Fast broadband can provide more effective use of VoIP hardware and quicker download times and nearly 70 per cent of respondents said broadband is crucial to their lives, while less than one per cent described it as "unimportant".

After higher speeds and lower prices, 12 per cent said better customer support should be prioritised. Ten per cent of respondents described their ISP as "perfect".

The government recently committed to providing every UK home with a broadband connection of at least two megabits per second, although ISPs such as BT and Virgin Media are already looking to significantly surpass this target through the roll-out of fibre optic cabling.