Broadband penetration in the UK reaches 63%

Around 63 per cent of the UK population has access to the infrastructure necessary to use a broadband connection, a new study suggests.

The Broadband Forum recently estimated there are currently nearly 18 million active broadband connections in the UK and research organisation Gartner forecasts penetration will increase to 71 per cent within five years.

Around 20 per cent of homes around the world will have a broadband connection by the end of this year, the figures from Gartner suggest.

Amanda Sabia, principal research analyst at Gartner, said: "Consumers may be watching their household expenditure, but dropping their broadband connections is not on the top of their agendas as a way to reduce outgoings."

Many people view broadband as a way of reducing the cost of living, as they can access cheaper retail costs and communications prices can be reduced by using social networking websites and VoIP solutions.

The UK is currently one of the only countries in the world to be working towards a universal connectivity policy.