Efforts to ensure super-fast broadband is available across the UK need to start in earnest now, according to an expert.

Peter Cochrane, technology guru and co-founder of Cochrane Associates, said the government is wrong to believe the UK is at the "forefront of the broadband revolution", as it is actually not even close to being in the top ten.

He claimed that MPs have to realise the "clock is ticking" and "grasp the nettle" of getting on with funding the rollout of high-speed web services to homes and businesses.

"How much would it cost to get optical fibre into every home and office? Somewhere in the region of £5-15 billion, depending on the technology and deployment options," he explained.

Mr Cochrane added that the funding was "insignificant" in comparison to spending on other issues.

Figures from Moneysupermarket.com revealed that over a third of web users think faster web connections will only make illegal filesharing easier to do.