UK now really is a broadband nation

The number of broadband internet connections in the UK has finally outstripped dial-up, according to figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS).

The switch has been some years in the making, with fat-pipe connections rising dramatically since 2001, when they accounted for just 0.8 per cent of all connections. In May they reached their peak of 50.7 per cent of internet connections, the ONS has confirmed.

The number of dial-up connections topped out in February 2002 and has steadily declined since then, dropping by 26 per cent in the 12 months to May alone.

Ofcom discovered earlier this month that broadband prices are tumbling as its popularity grows. The communications watchdog said at the end of 2002, a 512Kbps link cost around £27 per month. Today, the average 1Mbps connection is about £20.

Connections to the internet, both narrowband and broadband, have risen by 45 per cent since January 2001, the ONS said. There are now thought to be over eight million internet connections in the UK.