
The number of people using broadband services is on the increase, a new study has suggested.
According to the annual Research and Markets report on global demand for high-speed internet services, broadband now accounts for 30 per cent of all internet connections.
This percentage is likely to grow further as more people start to use more bandwidth-heavy services that are unsuitable for dial-up - like watching live video streams or using
VoIP products.
The report comments: "The primary driver behind users upgrading to broadband is simple - users want fast internet connections."
As well as a focus on broadband, the market for fibre optic services will also increase and begin to challenge dominant copper-based DSL products. There are currently 35 million fibre optic users worldwide, accounting for 11 per cent of all broadband services.
Citing a recent Nielsen study, ITPro has reported that the proportion of people using fibre-optic and other high-speed services is in the UK is about the same as the proportion of people using dial-up services.
Vonage allows internet users to make
cheap calls using
broadband phone services, with the
V-Plan 1 starting at £5.99 per month.