ADSL market set to explode

Half a million people will be using broadband ADSL services in the UK by the end of next year. Three quarters of these early adopters will be small or medium sized companies. The rest will be made up of well-off home users who can afford to pay around £48 a month for an ADSL service. These predictions were made by London-based Online Research Agency which forecasts a rapid take-up of BT ADSL technology once it becomes available. "BT will alter the Internet landscape with their new offering," said Nick Rosen, research director of the Online Research Agency. "People will be able to enjoy the Internet much more. With ADSL it will no longer be possible to dismiss the Internet as the World Wide Wait," he said. This is not everyone's opinion, however. Today's Daily Mail calls the launch of ADSL as "a £250 million gamble" and says the City is shocked at the prices BT is planning to charge for the service. The paper quotes Steve Scruton, a broker form HSBC. "I don’t think people will pay those prices," he said. ®