The latest Ofcom reports state that a very small percentage of broadband consumers are able to avail of super-fast broadband services available in the country and that mobile broadband speeds all over UK are quite low as compared to other countries in the world.

The telecom regulator stated in its annual International Communications Market report that less then 1% of the UK households have opted for super-fast broadband as compared to Japan which had more then one-third of its consumers hooked to the service. The regulator also commented on the lack of next generation mobile services in the UK.

Despite these significant technological distortions, the country reported the highest sale of smartphones among the countries surveyed by Ofcom. A 70% rise in smartphone subscribers was noted in 2009. The report noted that UK consumers were technologically advanced and quickly adapted to mobile applications like mobile mapping and direction services.

But all these get detracted when the mobile speeds are taken into account, the report commented. As compared to other countries which reach speeds of 28Mbps to 100Mbps, UK registers maximum theoretical download speed of 14.4Mbps. Mobile download speeds in Germany are 28Mbps, in the US 30Mbps, Japan 42Mbps and Sweden 100Mbps. The late in coming next-generation services have been derailed due to the argument between mobile broadband providers about how spectrum should be shared out. The spectrum allocation by the government has been widely contested by the mobile operators who were thinking of taking the matter to court but according to Ed Richards, chief executive of Ofcom, those matters seemed to have been resolved.

Mr.Richards stated: “There has been a big change among mobile operators and an increasing consensus that UK consumers are early adopters and need lots of data. We are in a much better place than we were a year ago. Without the auctions of the 2.6GHz spectrum and the 800MHz airwaves freed up by the digital switch-over, networks will struggle to cope with demand.”

Ofcom reported that the spectrum auctions are being scheduled to come out by 2012 after the details have been sorted out and mobile hotspots have been mapped.

Coming to fixed household broadband speeds, UK registers only 0.2% of households that have super-fast broadband as compared to Germany with 2%, US with 7.1% and Japan with 34.4%. This margin is hoping to be rectified by BT and Virgin’s already underway roll out plans by 2012.

Terming UK’s broadband roll out as ‘most ambitious’, Mr Richards commented on the different approach styles by Virgin and BT calling the former’s approach fast paced. Commenting that with the support from the government, these rollout processes were expected to “move relatively quickly”.

The report went on to comment on the state of UK’s broadband state calling it ‘healthy’. Revealing statistics where 70% of the households have fixed-line broadband services, the report also stated that UK led the rat pack in take-up of digital TV. Internet based services though revealed a lack of takers due to the successfully established pay TV market in the UK. According to Ofcom, launch of YouView, a partnership between BT, the BBC, ITV, Five, Channel 4, Arquiva and TalkTalk could bring about the required changes in that industry as users will be able to combine Freeview digital channels with on-demand content such as the iPlayer.

Coming to online spending, UK still retained its numero uno spot. According to the report an average user spent around £1,000 over a period of six months, which is double the spent of other countries in Ofcom’s survey. Communication bills appear to be giving the UK consumers value for money statistics reveal with An average family, using broadband, four mobile connections and entry-level pay TV would pay £104.17 per month, compared to £146.40 in Germany and £209.12 in the US.

Fixed-line voice pricing is an exception to the communication money saving schemes as the prices have increased due to hike in line rentals, on which Ofcom intends to keep a regulated eye on.