4 January 2007
With BT opening up more of its lines to alternative broadband suppliers and the cost of broadband services dropping by 17% in the past year, experts have predicted that the end is nigh for dial-up services.
Independent price comparison and switching website uSwitch.com has revealed that it predicts that 80% of Britons will have an internet connection in their homes by 2010, but that only 100,000 of the projected 21 million users will be using dial-up services.
Following in the footsteps of the floppy disk, betamax and the Apple Newton, requests for dial-up activations have fallen by 50% since 2001 to a mere 5.8 million consumers.
Head of telecommunications at uSwitch.com, Steve Weller, believes that the high level of competition within the broadband market has helped contribute to companies offering consumers lower tariffs.
"The future heralds not only the death of dial-up, but also the birth of bundles. Companies are increasingly 'bundling' together products such as broadband, home phone, mobiles and digital TV to produce cost effective packages which provide customers with comprehensive services," he added.
Mr Weller also commented about the need for companies to explain fully what their product offers as a variety of 'free' broadband services and bundled packages had left consumers feeling "bamboozled".
© 2008 Adfero Ltd
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