CHAPTER 4: TECHNOLOGY
Report suggests the increasing use of internet telephony may eventually lead to the
landline network (the public switched telephone network) being turned off.3
4.6.
The mass uptake of digital technology is progressing at extraordinary speed:
(a)
In 2014, 82% of UK homes were connected to the internet compared to 25% in
2000, and 93% of adults owned a mobile phone in 2014 compared to 50% in
2000.
(b)
In 2014, for the first time, there were estimated to be more mobile subscriptions
than people in the world.4
(c)
Ownership of smart phones is soaring: 61% of adults owned a smart phone in
2014 compared to 27% in 2011. A comparison across the generations is even
more striking, with 88% of 16-24 year olds owning a smart phone, compared to
14% of those over 65.
(d)
This explosion in the smart phone market is driving the growth in the number of
people accessing the internet using their mobile phone: 57% did so in 2014
compared to 28% in 2011.
Proliferating methods of communication
4.7.
Phone calls and texts are being joined by other communication platforms such as
instant messaging, video calls and communication through social networking sites.
Whilst the adult population in general spent 33% of their total daily communications
time using email, this reduced to 19% amongst 16-24 year olds, who favour social
networking sites over email. Instant messaging apps have overtaken traditional SMS
services. In 2012, 19 billion messages were sent per day on instant messaging apps,
compared to 17.6 billion text messages.5 Since 2012 the number of instant messaging
apps has grown considerably.
4.8.
A further trend is the growing proportion of consumers in the UK using Voice Over
Internet Protocol [VOIP]: making a phone call over the internet. The number almost
tripled between 2009 and 2014, from 12% to 35%. The upsurge in use of VOIP
services is linked to the increased ownership of smart phones and tablets, as these
devices have integrated VOIP apps.6 Household take-up of tablets almost doubled
between 2013 and 2014, from 22% to 44%.
4.9.
Also striking is the increasing pace of adoption of new technologies. Whilst it took 15
years for half the UK population to get a mobile phone, newer technologies, such as
social networking sites, reached this figure in four years.
3
4
5
6
A landline is still usually needed to connect to broadband in the home to enable the internet telephony
to take place.
Anonymous industry speaker at Wilton Park, November 2014.
“Chat app messaging overtakes SMS texts, Informa says”, BBC News Website, 9 April 2013.
In 2015, EE will launch WiFi Calling, which will enable calls to be made over the internet without
downloading an app. It will use IP multimedia sub-system technology, described at 4.16 below.
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