Broadband

We are a nation of download addicts, with eight in 10 (80 per cent) Brits having downloaded from the internet in the last 12 months.

Offers of free laptops and modems are practices frequently used by providers to lure customers into new broadband deals.

A year after compulsory regulations were introduced to improve the experience for the 260,000 consumers switching broadband every month a new study, by independent price comparison and switching service uSwitch.com, reveals that the new rules are failing to deliver the results they set out to achieve.

Commenting on news that the Government is to make a commitment to legislating against people who download content illegally, Rob Barnes, head of broadband and mobiles at moneysupermarket.com, said:

The broadband industry continues to thrive, with nearly 15 million households now spending over £3 billion subscribing to a service.

Commenting on Virgin Media's announcement to upgrade broadband connections in the UK, Rob Barnes, head of broadband and mobiles at moneysupermarket.com, said: "Virgin Media's decision to boost broadband speeds shows real commitment to its customer base, potential customers and the future of broadband.

Brits demand more flexibility and the choice to be able to use pay-per-day services such as gym memberships, car insurance and television services, according to new research by T-Mobile.

Social networking has become a numbers game as people accept total strangers as their friends just to increase numbers in their profile, according to a new study.

Commenting on Ofcom Consumer Panel's recommendations to Ofcom, Richard Mason director at moneysupermarket.com, said: “Whilst we welcome the recommendations from Ofcom’s Consumer Panel, we’re still yet to see any action taken by the industry regulator itself.

Ofcom has published its second annual International Communications Market report. The publication analyses trends in the £873bn global television, radio and telecommunications sectors in 2006.

Following today’s announcement by Ofcom to force VoIP providers to enable calls to be made to 999 and 112 numbers, Tim Wolfenden, Head of Communications Services at independent comparison and switching service, uSwitch.com, comments:

Children aged three to 15 spend on average two and a half hours per week surfing the internet outside of school, according to new research. However, the results indicate that almost half (46 per cent) of parents are failing to monitor the websites their children are viewing every time.

2007 has seen the broadband industry continue to flourish, with 15 million households now spending a whopping £3.2 billion subscribing to a service. Yet a new report from independent price comparison and switching service, uSwitch.com, reveals that for over a quarter of customers this is a hefty price to pay.

Pipex has announced a revamped broadband product range, removing its ‘unlimited’ package and labelling products with a clear usage allowance.

This week Saga announced the launch of a social networking site for the over 50s. Steve Weller, Head of Communications Services at independent price comparison and switching service, uSwitch.com, comments: