Broadband for 100% of country?
A major report into the future of the UK online is expected to conclude the country needs 100 per cent broadband coverage.
The Digital Britain report by Lord Carter released later today is expected to point call for sufficient broadband access for every household with enough bandwidth to stream live TV.
A key stumbling block remains in rural areas - where greater distances to telephone exchanges slow connection and widespread laying of new fibre optic lines would be unfeasible.
An option would be for greater use of community broadband schemes or satellite broadband connections.
Mobile broadband providers could also be called in to provide access through 3G networks.
Data last week from communications watchdog Ofcom showed 70 per cent of UK adults now have the internet at home - with a further five per cent likely to sign up in the next six months.
The two main groups not taking up broadband were said to be the "self-excluded and the financially excluded", as well as those that felt they did not have the technical knowledge.
Costs of actually owning a computer and the meeting the monthly payments were cited as stumbling blocks.
Peter Phillips at Ofcom said: 'Broadband is becoming increasingly important to peoples' ability to participate in the economy and society.
"But it also shows that some creativity will be required if we wish to capture the imaginations of those who have yet to engage with the benefits the internet may bring."
Research by top10-broadband.co.uk, shows there are mobile broadband deals available with a laptop from £22.50 a month.
3 is offering an Acer Aspire A150b laptop with 15Gb of mobile broadband for £17.50 a month on its basic 1GB package,
Jessica McArdle, marketing manager at Top 10 Broadband, said: "With cheap laptop deals proliferating by the hour, the days of a laptop being thought of as a luxury purchase are long gone."
T-Mobile, Orange, 02 and Vodafone all offer similar deals.
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