 Whilst users seem to have voted for Internet Explorer and O2 as their broadband browsing choices, Virgin's claims to be the best are shot down:
>> Recent reports have indicated that broadband users prefer Internet Explorer to other operating systems. This is despite the emergence of Apple Safari and Google Chrome. Currently, Internet Explorer has 63% of the market, Firefox has 24% and Google Chrome and Apple Safari both have around 4.5%. Experts have suggested that Internet Explorer may come under threat as more people start to use mobile based internet and that it needs to work on it's mobile systems to keep its market share.
>> The Conservatives have suggested that the £6 broadband tax to be levied on all households with a phone line may be targeting at least 3 million households which have no intention of ever getting broadband. Often these households will be low income or pensioners. The government has confirmed that there will be no exemptions to the tax despite some figures showing that 200,000 may not be able to afford it.
>> Virgin Media has been criticised by the Advertising Standards authority once again. Their direct mailing advert which contained a comparison to Sky was deemed to be misleading. The advert claimed that Virgin's services were cheaper, but failed to mention the actual cost of their broadband, even though they had compared it with Sky's broadband package. The complaint was upheld and the ASA stated that for consumers to make a choice between the two products, the fact that the Sky price included broadband should have been more prominently displayed.
Virgin Media, meanwhile, has announced the details of its new music download service due to be named MusicFish. It is expected to offer unlimited streaming and downloads for around £6.49 a month and is likely to compete with iTunes and Sky. The launch is expected to take place later this year.
>> Oxford University has banned the use of the music streaming and download site, Spotify. They claim that the move is necessary to maintain the stability of the network. The university supplies broadband to their students and use of the website is causing problems with the availability of broadband for other users.
>> YouTube has announced it will be showing some major sports events for free on their video website. The first sporting fixtures to be shown will be the Indian Premier League cricket matches due to start in March. They also have an official sports channel which shows news and highlights of sports from around the world. For those with a reliable broadband connection, this way of streaming videos could make it easier to watch sports legally without having to pay.
>> The Carphone Warehouse has been commenting in the press that they may be considering their own high speed broadband network. Chief Executive Charles Dunstone commented that they were looking into the possibility of the Talk Talk unit running its own fibre optic cables through BT's existing network, possibly with another partner. The news comes as Carphone Warehouse announced improved projections for the 2009-2010 period. They will also be completing a de-merger of their retail and telecoms units by the end of March.
>> Apple is currently in negotiations with a number of internet providers about offering the iSlate. The iPhone was introduced using a number of different providers, but whether this will be the case with the iSlate is unclear. According to reports in the Guardian, Orange, O2 and Vodaphone are all interested parties. It is thought that Orange would be a favourite, should an exclusive deal be reached, as they have a good record of connectivity. An official announcement regarding the iSlate is due from Apple on January 27.
>> According to comparison site broadband Genie, O2 is the number one choice for broadband in terms of sales. Home broadband products were chosen by twice as many people as those from rivals. BT and Virgin also did well. The criticisms aimed at other providers such as Sky, Talk Talk and Orange were that they offered deals which were too complicated and that their websites put customers off.
O2 is launching its home phone service from March this year. The service will be available to those using O2 broadband as part of a bundled package. Priced at £9.50 per month for unlimited evening and weekend calls and £12.50 for the Anytime deal, the service can be bundled with broadband for just £17.50 per month.
>> It has been suggested that firms in rural areas may struggle to meet tax deadlines due to inconsistent and slow broadband availability. The Country Land and Business Association said that Norfolk was particularly affected and may not be able to comply with new rules regarding online delivery of tax and vat returns. While these businesses can get an accountant to do the work for them, this will lead to increased costs. The downloading of the forms required is proving difficult for firms in Norfolk and business owners believe the new rules should not be rolled out until it is possible for everyone to comply.
>> The UK has been ranked at number 26 in terms of download speeds around the world, with a paltry 3.5Mbps. The report released by Akamai showed that South Korea was at number 1, closely followed by Japan. Sweden was the highest ranked in Europe with 5.7 Mbps. The average speed globally has increased by 13% in this quarter and came in at 1.7Mbps. There are still many countries with speeds lower than 1Mbps. †
    
|
