Survey: UK ranks better for broadband penetration than for high-speed services

The UK is performing better in terms of broadband penetration than it is in relation to the level of investment being made in next-generation infrastructure, new figures suggest.

According to a new study from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the UK is 13th out of 30 members when it comes to penetration levels, but is a less respectable 21st in terms of available connection speeds.

Nearly ten per cent of web users in all 30 OECD countries currently access the internet using next-generation connections, with people in Portugal, Spain and Greece enjoying faster speeds than in Britain.

Taylor Reynolds of the technology division at the OECD, told the BBC: "If you cut one per cent off the costs of education, electricity, health and transport you would more than pay for a fibre network."

Earlier this year the UK government announced plans to deliver a connection speed of two megabits per second to every home in the UK by 2012.