Almost three quarters of UK homes now online

More and more members of the British public are hooking up to the internet according to the latest statistics. Apparently a massive 73 per cent of British households now boast an internet connection, which is testament to the importance of the internet as a resource for information, communication and entertainment.

The Office for National Statistics is behind the latest figures to be published and it states that 19.2 million UK homes are now online. A similar study last year clocked the figure at 18.3 million so the latest results indicate a steady increase.

According to the results, more than 30 million adults use the internet every day for various purposes, including shopping, conducting research, social networking and reading and sending emails. However, 9.2 million adults are still completely unfamiliar with the internet, with most in this bracket aged 65 and above.

Mark Williams of the ONS emphasised the role of mobile connectivity in the results of the study, explaining:

We have also seen changes in the way people connect and in the frequency of connection, with 31 per cent of Internet users connecting via a mobile phone in 2010 compared to 23 per cent in 2009. The use of Wi-Fi hotspots continued to rise with 2.7 million people using wireless hotspots at locations such as cafes, restaurants, and hotels.