Broadband is winning the battle over dial-up as internet usage grows

Three quarters of all home internet users in the UK – 18 million people – now have a broadband connection, while another 4 million have used a wireless connection at home, according to the latest research from BMRB.

A third of broadband users connect in the living room, a quarter in an office or study and 16 per cent in a main bedroom.

According to the latest BMRB Internet Monitor, internet users now spend on average a quarter of their weekly media time on the internet, making it the second most commonly used medium throughout the week after television.

The study found that more than half the UK population – 26.5 million people – used the internet in November 2005, 23.5 million of them from home, with 18.7 million of them buying something online during November.

By comparison, the total number of UK internet users in November 2004 was 23.4 million, with 15.7 million shopping online.