Over a third of UK households signed up to superfast internet report finds

A new EU report has revealed that more than a third of UK households are signed up to superfast internet connections.

According to the European Digital Progress Report, 36 per cent of the UK's broadband connections are for services of at least 30Mbps which is up from 32 per cent last year. The report also reveals that 85 per cent of UK households have a fixed internet connection, compared to an EU average of just 72 per cent.

The study reveals that 90 per cent of individuals aged 16-74 are classed as internet users, which is also higher than the EU average of 76 per cent. Mobile broadband is also significantly higher than the EU average with 87 per cent compared to 75 per cent across the European Union.

The statistics show that the most popular online activity is shopping with 87 per cent of people who used the internet last year making an online purchase. Social networking (71 per cent) and reading online news (71 per cent) are the next most popular activities, followed by online banking with 63 per cent.

Over half (57 per cent) of households with a TV use a number of on-demand services such as Netflix and BBC iPlayer and 43 per cent of internet users make video calls online.

The report comes on the back of the adoption by the European Commission of a new Digital Single Market Strategy which promised better access to digital services and goods for consumers as well as initiating an overhaul of the EU telecoms rules.

Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, said of the report: “I want to see pan-continental telecoms networks, digital services that cross borders and a wave of innovative European start-ups.

“I want to see every consumer getting the best deals and every business accessing the widest market – wherever they are in Europe.”

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(Image: Kings Sutton)