This month, the broadsheets all covered the recent report from media watchdog Ofcom on our internet/telecoms usage. For the first time, the percentage of rural homes with broadband connectivity is higher than those homes in urban areas. According to Ofcom's report, 59% of rural areas now have high-speed connectivity compared to 57% of urban areas. Ofcom's strategy and market developments partner, Peter Phillips (as reported in the Guardian) states: "Initial broadband make-up was typically by young urban homes, which is similar to the take-up of many new technologies. I don't think anyone would have predicted two or three years ago that we would have seen the picture we see today."
Ofcom suggest that the reason for rural consumers high take-up is obvious convenience - online banking, retail and entertainment opportunities are more of a draw since those living in urban areas have greater proximity to facilities. One theory for the rural increase is the demand for online connectivity has always been there, but that the service providers were lagging behind in meeting that demand - Ofcom data would appear to back that up - only 45% of rural households had broadband in 2007, compared to 57% in 2008. Statistics compiled in 2005 had already indicated that internet usage in rural areas was higher than the national average, but not via a broadband connection.
The table below breaks down Ofcom's data by city/urban region:
|
Percentage of user take-up |
||||
|
Broadband |
Digital TV |
Fixed line phone |
Mobile phone |
|
| By City | ||||
| Sunderland |
66 |
96 |
93 |
83 |
| Plymouth |
64 |
92 |
90 |
90 |
|
London |
62 |
89 |
92 |
86 |
|
Middlesbrough |
60 |
90 |
83 |
88 |
|
Newcastle upon Tyne |
55 |
85 |
87 |
87 |
|
Birmingham |
55 |
70 |
78 |
85 |
|
Truro |
53 |
85 |
92 |
89 |
|
Manchester |
52 |
82 |
81 |
83 |
|
Liverpool |
40 |
87 |
78 |
82 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
By Urban Region |
|
|
|
|
|
South East |
65 |
87 |
93 |
83 |
|
Bristol and South West |
59 |
86 |
87 |
84 |
|
Yorkshire and the Humber |
55 |
75 |
81 |
87 |
|
East Midlands |
51 |
86 |
83 |
82 |
Compared to the national average of 57%, Sunderland shows a 66% take-up of broadband connection amongst its households. Digital TV subscription is at a staggering 96% - also well above the national average of 85%. With Sunderland's traditional industries of shipbuilding and coalmining in terminal decline in the early 1990s, the city sought to entice technology based companies to the area. This, coupled with the council's 2007 digital challenge programme, aiming to get more people to use the internet , are both factors which go a long way to explaining the Sunderland phenomenon.
Other statistics from Ofcom's report shows regional differences:
 |
85% of all households now have digital TV - a rise of 10% from the previous year |
|
In Wales, 20% of all homes rely solely on mobile phones |
|
TV watching is the highest in Scotland, with users watching 4 hours a day, compared to the national average of 3.4 hours |
|
The Welsh listen to the radio more than any other area in the UK, yet Scotland has seen the biggest take up in digital radio, but listen less. |
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