North-South Divide Exists in UK Net Access

Almost 50 percent of the people in the southern and eastern portions of the UK have access to a PC at home compared to less than 35 percent in Northern Ireland, Lancashire, and the Midlands, according to research by Datamonitor.

Datamonitor found that, overall, 39 percent of UK adults have access to a PC at home. Penetration is highest in the East Anglia, Southern England, and London. The two most attractive regional PC markets are London and Scotland.

“In the foreseeable future, one in two consumers will have access to a PC at home in the southeastern regions of East Anglia, Southern England, and London,” said Datamonitor analyst Alexander Rainer. “Scotland provides a surprisingly strong potential for future growth.”

According to Datamonitor, 18 percent of UK adults are online at home. London, Southern England, and Anglia are the most attractive markets in terms of current online penetration and future growth. Southeastern regions therefore are prime targets for future business. The Midlands, North England, and Northern Ireland, however, are the UK’s Internet laggards. Internet penetration in lowest in TyneTees/Yorks (7 percent) and Lancashire (6 percent).

“London represents the largest market, with almost 3 million people currently online, making it the priority regional market for content and service providers,” Rainer said.