Digital revolution spreading across Europe

More and more Europeans are taking up mobile phones and broadband internet, according to a European Union survey.

The survey, of 27,000 households across the bloc, found that of the 42 per cent of homes now online, 28 per cent of homes connect to the internet via a broadband link, while another 54 per cent access the internet via ADSL.

Financial reasons are becoming a smaller hurdle to internet connectivity. Indeed, nearly half of households without a connection said they simply didn't want one.

Consumers are increasingly switching from fixed-line to mobile telephones, with 81 per cent of households saying they have at least one. The number of mobile-only households increased four per cent to 22 per cent, while the number of households with at least one fixed line fell five per cent to 72 per cent. And some 17 per cent now use the internet to make calls.

A fifth of Europeans are buying their telecoms in bundled packages, the survey found.

"Europe's digital economy is growing strongly as more and more households embrace convergence between fixed, mobile and Internet services," said Information Society and Media Commissioner Viviane Reding.

The study shows how deeply upcoming changes to EU telecom rules could affect average consumers and telecom companies alike, said Reding.

"The challenge of this year's reform of the EU's telecom rules will be to respond to this rapidly changing technological environment while enhancing at the same time effective competition," said Reding.

The EU is looking to change rules to boost competition between telecoms operators.

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