Public gets taste for cut price communication

British people are spending more time using communications services but paying less for them, according to industry regulator Ofcom. A new report has found that mobile phone use has doubled and laptop and PC use quadrupled over the past five years.

Ofcom’s latest annual report into the £51bn communications industry says in 2007 the average consumer spent seven hours and nine minutes watching television, using the phone, internet or other services every day. But despite the rise in use, the average household spend on communications was £93.63 a month, a fall of £1.53 on 2006.

Television remains the most popular medium, with the average person watching for three hours and 38 minutes per day. Digital television is now in use in 87% of British homes but despite the choice of channels, the five UK flagship channels still account for 57% of viewing. The average person now uses their mobile phone for ten minutes a day and a computer for 24 minutes.

Ofcom says people are paying less for their services by becoming increasingly selective and switching providers or paying one fee for a bundle of services.

According to the report, there has been a large surge in mobile broadband after service providers put more support behind dongles or similar devices, with three-quarters using them at home as well as on the move.