Member Article

Digital divide deepening

Households who do not currently have internet access are unlikely to ever get online, increasing the ‘digital divide’ in the UK.

Research firm Point Topic report that 44% of households in the UK have no internet access at home. The reasons for not getting internet access fall into three broad groups: a lack of need or interest; cost or other material constraints; and lack of the necessary skills. Households who consider home access ‘unimportant’ has grown from 51.7% to 74.6%.

Katja Mueller, Chief Analyst at Point Topic, said: “Many of those who thought it was important to have the internet have signed up to a service already. “As the number of non-access households shrinks, those that are left are increasingly resistant to its appeal. This could prove a high barrier to achieving much higher levels of internet access. “These are real concerns, and if they were to be resolved, more households would be able to benefit from getting internet access in the next half a year.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .