Fast film downloads top next-gen broadband wish list

A survey conducted by Broadbandchoices.co.uk found that most people ranked the ability to download DVD-quality films quickly, as the service they most want from next-generation broadband.

Sixty-one percent of those surveyed chose downloading DVD quality film in five minutes as their top requirement.

Downloading high definition TV programmes on demand was in second place, with 48 percent of respondents choosing this option, followed by video calling to friends/family over the internet with 46 percent of the vote, CCTV home surveillance via broadband with 42 percent and high definition gaming, with just 19 percent.

The survey identified surfing and checking e-mail as the most popular online activities.

The survey was designed to help inform the current debate about how and when the UK should move to next-generation broadband services. Ofcom is currently consulting on the subject and the government has recently hosted a broadband summit.

A key factor in deciding when to deploy next-gen broadband will be the willingness of consumers to pay extra for such services. Sixty percent of respondents to the survey said either ‘no’ or ‘don’t know’ when asked if they thought people would pay more for faster broadband.

Although the survey found Internet TV and downloading films were most popular in terms of future expectations from broadband, these are the services on which respondents to the survey spend the least amount of time at the moment.

This could be explained by the standard of current services, which would improve with the availability of faster broadband.