An Ofcom report has found that 59% of houses in rural areas have broadband, compared with 57% in built-up areas.
The biggest difference between urban and rural broadband take up was in Wales, where 51% of rural households are surfing the internet at high speeds, compared with 43% in rural households.
In England, the split is 60% rural and 58% urban, the difference is the same in Northern Ireland, with 54% of rural homes linked up, and in Scotland 59% of rural households have broadband compared with 52% of urban houses.
The figures were published today by Ofcom in a wide-ranging report looking at media penetration in the UK. It found that: digital television is now in 85% of UK households; digital radio set ownership was on the rise in England and Scotland, but fairly static in Wales and Northern Ireland; and that 12% of homes now rely solely on a mobile phone instead of having a landline.
In the same report, Ofcom found that the four main broadcasters increased their proportion of television programmes made outside of London but that ITV had failed to reach the quota of money spent on programmes made outside of London. It spent 44% of its budget instead of the required 50%, and Ofcom is now reviewing the issue and considering taking appropriate action.
The biggest difference between urban and rural broadband take up was in Wales, where 51% of rural households are surfing the internet at high speeds, compared with 43% in rural households.
In England, the split is 60% rural and 58% urban, the difference is the same in Northern Ireland, with 54% of rural homes linked up, and in Scotland 59% of rural households have broadband compared with 52% of urban houses.
The figures were published today by Ofcom in a wide-ranging report looking at media penetration in the UK. It found that: digital television is now in 85% of UK households; digital radio set ownership was on the rise in England and Scotland, but fairly static in Wales and Northern Ireland; and that 12% of homes now rely solely on a mobile phone instead of having a landline.
In the same report, Ofcom found that the four main broadcasters increased their proportion of television programmes made outside of London but that ITV had failed to reach the quota of money spent on programmes made outside of London. It spent 44% of its budget instead of the required 50%, and Ofcom is now reviewing the issue and considering taking appropriate action.