HL Deb 20 November 2003 vol 654 c345WA
The Earl of Northesk

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What proportion of Internet-enabled households currently access Internet services offering speeds of 512 kbps and above. [HL5560]

Lord Sainsbury of Turville

The Government do not hold data on the proportion of households connected to the Internet at speeds of 512 kbps and above. However, according to Oftel's research reportConsumers' use of the Internet(http://www.oftel.gov.uk/publications/research/ 2003/q14intreslO03.pdf), 18 per cent of respondents in Internet-enabled households surveyed during August 2003 claimed that their household used broadband to access the Internet at home.

The Earl of Northesk

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many Internet-enabled households subscribed to Internet services offering speeds of 512 kbps and above in each year since 1999. [HL5561]

Lord Sainsbury of Turville

The Government do not hold data on household subscribers to the Internet accessing services of 512 kbps and above. Oftel collects data on the number of subscribers to higher bandwidth "always on" services offering bandwidths from 128 kbps and above. A graph showing the increase in connections between November 2000 and September 2003 is available from the Oftel website at http//www.oftel.gov.uk/ publications/internet/internet-brief/index.htm. At the end of September 2003 there were 2,628,100 broadband subscribers meeting Oftel's definition.