The UK continues to be a Local Loop Unbundling (LLU) laggard, according to the latest research from Oftel.

While take-up of DSL services over unbundled local loops are starting to be provided to end users - particularly business users - take-up is currently low in the UK and Sweden.

In Germany and the US, however, take-up is higher, accounting for around 6 per 100 incumbent DSL lines, says the telecoms regulator.

The biggest change in the last six months has been in France where take-up of LLU has increased around 17 fold. Despite this massive jump, France still trails Germany and the US concerning LLU take-up.

Elsewhere, Oftel reckons the UK has some of the lowest broadband prices in Europe for residential broadband.

Oftel's latest international benchmarking research shows that residential broadband services are cheaper than in France, Germany and the US, with only Sweden offering a slightly cheaper service than the UK.

Oftel reckons that the lower prices have led to an "increasing numbers of people signing up for broadband". Imagine that. ®