75% of homes 'to have internet by 2010'

16:18 11th June 2009

A new report has revealed that three-quarters of the homes in the UK will have access to the internet by the end of 2009.

The research from Ofcom reported that 70 per cent of homes currently have access, which may interest people considering participating in a computer course by home study.

Of the people who did not have the internet, 30 per cent said the reason was because they believed it was too expensive to either buy a computer or afford the monthly payments for the internet.

A further 42 per cent of adults who do not have access said they did not have enough interest or see the need for the internet. Of this percentage, most were over the age of 61 and retired.

Peter Phillips, Ofcom's partner for strategy and market development, said: "The research shows ... that some creativity will be required if we wish to capture the imaginations of those who have yet to engage with the benefits the internet may bring."

Ofcom is an independent watchdog that monitors the TV, radio and telecoms industries.