Ofcom reports are always worth a close read and are a ‘must’ for data junkies like me. The latest – the 7thInternational Communications Market Report 2012– was released today. You can download it in all its glory if you Click here. The FT was obviously given an advanced copy and their review is a good summary if that’s all you need – again Click here.
The UK is shown as leading the world in the use of all things digital. We consume more digital stuff (proportionately) on our laptops, smartphone and tablets than any other leading nation. We have the highest proportion of HD TVs, use of catch up TV (like iPlayer), use of video recorders (like Sky+), use of Smart TVs etc. Internet shopping is more popular in the UK than anywhere else (I can vouch for that in our household where every Xmas present bought this year was from an online source) We now spend north of £1000 each on internet shopping (rather more in the Holway household…) Ofcom puts this down, in part, to “the UK’s long history of catalogue shopping”. And much more of this is via mobile devices. 23% of UK smartphone users shop online – the highest in Europe. However, social networks are the major use of data on smartphones and MIDs.
All this comes at a cost. Ofcom says that “A family of 2 adults and 2 teenage children with average usage would pay £124 pm (ie c£1500 pa) for their comms needs”. But, reassuringly, the UK is the cheapest in Europe for such services. As we all know, the market in the UK is highly competitive and we, as consumers, clearly benefit from that.
Although it is great to read a report that shows the UK leading in so many categories, if only we could lead in the provision of the software, services and, indeed, online retailing that benefit from the UK’s high usage. But, as we know, it is more likely to be Amazon, Google, Facebook, Apple and the like that are pocketing the spoils (and paying little or no tax in the UK).