UK is European broadband backwater

NEWS Britain is still lagging behind much of Europe in broadband uptake, according to the latest survey. Internet consultancy NetValue found the UK is seriously behind Denmark and Germany, who boast 24.5 per cent and 15.4 per cent of households with broadband connections. The figure for Britain is just 6.1 per cent, which places it in sixth place on the European broadband league table. The study said: "Broadband usage has doubled in the UK since December 2001, when the number of households using a high-speed internet connection was only 2.6 per cent. Operators have blamed the slow take-up on high prices and a lack of competition in the UK market."