Brits online 30 hours a week, figures show

The average Briton spends 30 hours online each week, a new survey from uSwitch.com has shown.

They spend two hours online during work hours and a further three hours for leisure purposes, the study found, while only a third do not use it at all during their working day.

"Our reliance looks set to increase dramatically over the coming years as younger generations come to the fore, putting the Government under even more pressure to deliver universal broadband access across the whole country," observed Communications Expert at uSwitch.com Jason Glynn.

He added that broadband was becoming as crucial to everyday life as gas and electricity, although stressed that a digital divide may surface if people are unable or unwilling to venture online.

A recent survey conducted by Cisco found that the UK's broadband connections were lagging behind other countries, including Hong Kong, South Korea, Taiwan and Bulgaria.