Broadband use in Europe 'on the up'

An increasing number of people, homes and possibly businesses could have access to the internet, making it easier to enjoy technology such as voice over internet protocol (VoIP) solutions.

New figures from the European Commission show that between 2006 and 2011, the number of individuals in the continent with the ability to browse the web went up.

Indeed, it noted that within the 27 nations that make up the European Union, the amount of premises with broadband links grew from 30 per cent to 68 per cent.

Sweden is arguably a broadband leader as just five per cent of its population have never been online, while in the Netherlands some 94 per cent of households have a permanent connection.

In the UK, plenty is being done to encourage the adoption and use of high-speed broadband, with the government recently inviting cities to apply for a share of a £100 million infrastructure fund.