Report: UK Broadband Users Would Pay for Guarantees

GENEVA, Oct. 16 -- A study of broadband usage shows almost 80 percent of broadband users in the UK would like a new service that guarantees a minimum bandwidth performance level, and 68 percent of those users would be willing to pay a premium for that service. The study was conducted by Network Equipment Technologies, otherwise known as net.com, which develops technologies for broadband, IP telephony and multiservice networks. The company announced the study results this week at ITU Telecom World 2003.

net.com said 69 percent of respondents expressed dissatisfaction with their current broadband connectivity. Of those willing to pay a premium for better Internet service, 21 percent were prepared to pay a 20 percent premium over their current broadband fees.

The survey, distributed to members of the independent broadband advocacy group Broadband4Britain and commissioned by net.com, indicates that it is primarily value-added applications like multimedia (video, audio), Internet telephony, gaming and remote/teleworking that are driving the demand for quality of service levels in the broadband access network. More specifically, of the 21 percent who said they would be willing to pay 20 percent over their current fees, primary interests were secure links (92%), Internet telephony (92%), video streaming (42%) and video conferencing (33%).

For more information, visit: www.net.com