Here
is an update of the UK ISP market covering DSL and Cable Access market as well
as the Mobile Dongle market in the UK. I have also added in the published
figures for 3G and 4G mobile access devices. I have used ITU published data for
Broadband usage numbers and Neilson Ratings and ISP published figures to get an
accurate picture as well all the reports and disclosures for each of the
companies shown below. I believe these figures represent a reasonably accurate
representation of the genuine adoption of broadband either via DSL, Cable or
mobile dongle. Broadband connections included in this data cover download
speeds equal to or faster than 256kbit/s.
Table 1. Broadband ISPs (Source: ITU,
Neilsen, OFCOM & ISP Published Figures)
No.
|
ISP/Provider
|
User Numbers
|
% of UK Market (inc Mobile)
|
1
|
BT Retail
|
6,961,000
|
26.07%
|
2
|
Sky Broadband
|
5,017,000
|
18.79%
|
3
|
Virgin Media
|
4,488,600
|
16.81%
|
4
|
TalkTalk Group
|
4,076,000
|
15.27%
|
5
|
Orange
|
714,000
|
2.67%
|
6
|
Kingston Comms
|
178,200
|
0.67%
|
7
|
Zen Internet
|
94,000
|
0.32%
|
8
|
Vodafone UK
|
85,000
|
0.31%
|
9
|
Thus Group
|
80,000
|
0.30%
|
10
|
Entanet
|
70,000
|
0.26%
|
BT continues to grow its user base at the expense of the smaller
players. Sky Broadband has continued to
grow, primarily by acquisition having taken over O2’s broadband user base. However, although BT Sport is still in its
early days, it is clearly impacting Sky’s organic growth.
The total UK Internet connectivity market is not only made up of
Broadband ISPs, but connection is now frequently through 3G and a growing 4G user
base. Consequently I have taken the total market as being made up of both the
fixed-line broadband and mobile internet access as I think it would be
erroneous to suggest that they are not part of the same competitive market. The
Broadband ISP market size is estimated to be just under 22 million broadband
connections. OFCOM estimates the mobile internet connectivity to be in the
region of 5.0 million mobile broadband users in addition the 21.7 million fixed
line users. So the total market is
estimated at 26.7million subscribers. Of
these super broadband users make up just 3.7million.
