Smart people more likely to be online

ALMOST EVERYONE IN THE UK under 70 who has a degree or equivalent qualification also has internet access in their home, according to the UK Office of National Statistics.

The government report didn't mention it, but we're pretty sure the most of those have The INQUIRER as their home page.

However, data from the Internet Access 2008: Households and Individuals report (PDF) showed that just 56 per cent of individuals who had no formal qualifications have an internet connection in their home, compared to 93 per cent of their qualified counterparts.

The survey also revealed that the old north versus south divide still holds true, even in the digital world, with households in the South East were more likely to have internet access in their home (74 per cent), while those in the North East were least likely (54 per cent).

Just about seven out of 10 UK adults now access the internet every day or almost every day.

Unsurprisingly, the younger age groups were found to be more prolific users of the internet than their older peers and men go online more than women – seemingly in private for some unfathomable reason.

Richard Warmsley, the head of Internet and Entertainment at T-Mobile, attributes some of this usage to the growth of mobile broadband.

"We've seen sales of mobile broadband devices soar 360 per cent in the last twelve months and over one in four of our new customers are asking for mobile broadband," he explained. µ