Just 8% of Britons enjoying 5Mbps broadband or more

09:25 2nd April 2009

Only eight per cent of Britons are enjoying broadband connections with speeds of five megabits per second (Mbps) or more, according to new research.

A study from research firm Akamai found the UK lags behind many other countries, with just under 70 per cent of South Korean web users having access to speeds of more than 5Mbps and more than 30 per cent of Belgians enjoying faster services.

Globally, nearly 20 per cent of web users have broadband services within the higher speed bracket, while the average global connection speed is 1.5Mbps.

The UK government recently announced plans to deliver speeds of at least 2Mbps to every British home over the next few years, although the plan has been criticised for lacking the necessary ambition.

Faster broadband connection speeds could enable workers to take up online computer training courses more effectively and they could also facilitate home learning.

Installing next-generation broadband infrastructure throughout the UK could cost nearly £30 billion.