Europe switches on to web TV

Nearly half of European consumers are now watching telly over the internet but the TV set is fighting back by being used for an increasing variety of activities.

In a study carried out for Motorola, 45 per cent of respondents said they watch TV programmes online, with France coming out top with 59 per cent.

The UK was third with 43 per cent, while Germany came bottom of the countries surveyed - with just 33 per cent of respondents saying they watch TV online.

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A spokesman for Motorola's Connected Home Solutions said the results show European consumers are no longer satisfied with fixed broadcast schedules - preferring the flexibility of online.

But the research also indicated the TV set is being used to access an increasing range of services, with an average of three devices being plugged into each set - including digital cameras.

The potential applications of the telly are also likely to increase in the near future according to the research. For example, 45 per cent of Europeans expect to be able to make video calls on their TV by 2012.

And there is demand for additional services, with 57 per cent of consumers saying they want the ability to go online via their TV during live broadcasts - to check sports stats during a match for example.

On-demand isn't limited to the internet either: 35 per cent of people indicated they want the ability to pause, fast forward and rewind programmes on their TV set as they are broadcast.

The independent research was carried out by StrategyOne, covering 2,500 broadband users in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK.