Rural households have a higher rate of broadband connections than in urban areas

Indeed, the report shows that rural households have a higher rate of broadband connections than those who live in urban areas for the first time ever. Ofcom has just released its regional communications market report and it boasts some rather unusual results.

The report’s surprising results showed that 59% of rural households were connected to broadband services, while just 57% of urban areas were twice as likely to have broadband connections as those who lived in rural areas.

Rural households are today as well connected to broadband as their urban neighbours.” If you look back two or three years, rural areas were well behind where urban areas were well behind where urban areas were well behind where urban areas were well behind where urban areas were in terms of broadband take-up and that was driven by a number of factors.” Ed Richards, chief executive of Ofcom, was also surprised by the findings and said that they signify a real closing of the digital divide in the UK. He said: “I don't think anyone would have predicted two or three years ago that we can see today. If you look back two or three years, rural areas were well behind where urban areas were in terms of broadband take-up and that was driven by a number of factors.” Ed Richards, chief executive of Ofcom, was also surprised by the findings and said that they signify a real closing of the geographical digital divide in the UK.

He said: “I don't think anyone would have seen the picture that we would have predicted two or three years ago that we can see today. He said: “Our report highlights a closing of the geographical digital divide in the UK. He said: “Our report highlights a closing of the geographical digital divide in the UK. He said: “Our report highlights a closing of the geographical digital divide in the UK. He said: “Our report highlights a closing of the digital divide in the UK.

Peter Phillips, who is Ofcom's strategy and market developments partner, expressed his surprise at the report’s findings.

In addition to these findings, the Ofcom report also showed that there were huge differences in the number of broadband connections in different areas of the UK. It indicated that Sunderland was the best-connected city in the UK with a substantial 66% of households boasting broadband access and a massive 96% with digital television. At the bottom of the league was Glasgow, which, at just 32%, has the lowest rate of broadband connections in the UK.