The UK has seen the biggest increase in the number of hours spent online, according to the latest research from Ofcom which analysed the digital habits of 12 industrialised nations.

Thursday, 20 November 2008

Web users in the UK are now logging on for nearly 14 hours per week, an increase of almost 6.5 hours a week since 2004.

Ofcom’s third annual International Communications Market report shows that the UK is one of the most advanced countries in the world in terms of digital take up.

As evidence, the research shows that UK consumers are leading the trend of watching TV online, registering eight downloads per person in 2008, second only to the US which registered 26 downloads per person.

The regulator also found that 50 per cent of UK internet users accessed a social networking site in 2008, an 11 per cent increase since 2007. Only Canada registered a higher take up, with 55 per cent of Canadian web users accessing a social networking site in 2008.

The UK is also heading the field in digital TV take up. Ofcom found that 86 per cent of UK households have digital TV on their main set, up 9 per cent on the previous year. This compares with a figure of 70 per cent in the US and 66 per cent in France.