Worldwide web users would be better off in Blighty

NEWS Unmetered net access is cheaper in Stoke than San Francisco, Stockholm or Stuttgart, according to Oftel. UK web users with a heavy home surfing habit get unmetered access from £18 per month, which would cost around £19 in California and a staggering £39 in Germany. Occasional users end up paying £12 in the UK compared to £16 in France and £18 in Italy for the same amount of surfing time. The news will surprise critics of the much-maligned telecoms regulator, which has frequently been attacked for failing to ensure sufficient competition in the UK telecoms market. The research was conducted by Oftel, but audited by independent consultants Analysys.