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2007-08-23 05:59:45
The net, mobile phones and MP3 players are revolutionising how Britons spend their time, says Ofcom's annual report.
It reveals that older media such as TV, radio and even DVDs are being abandoned in favour of more modern technology.
Surprisingly, it also shows that women, in some age groups, are the dominant web users and older web users spend more time online than any group.
Among children it showed that web and mobile phone use is growing at the expense of video games.
Media life
The 330-page report takes a comprehensive look at the way Britons use new and old media and reveals a nation in love with its media, gadgets and hi-tech gear.
The average Briton now spends 50 hours per week on the phone, using the net, watching TV or listening to the radio. However, the mix of how much time is spent on each one has changed radically over the last few years.
Daily mobile phone use is up 58% on 2002 and, over the same period, net use has grown 158%. By contrast Britons spend far less time watching TV, listening to the radio or chatting on a fixed line phone.
The report, the fourth annual survey from Ofcom, revealed big differences in the technologies that different sectors of the population prefer.
Young people now spend as much time on their mobile phone as they do playing computer and console games. Proving more popular among younger people are mobile music players and using the net.
Ofcom said Briton's were getting increasingly sophisticated in their use of communications technologies and often used several concurrently.
For instance, a teenager playing an online game might take a picture of a high score or achievement unlocked while they play then text or e-mail it to friends or add it to a website or Facebook page.
The report also revealed that patterns of use could change again as the latest technologies come into wider use.
The report revealed that the UK now has about 450,000 subscribers to high-definition services. Of those questioned by Ofcom, 43% said they watched more TV since getting HD. A minority of that group, 36%, said they now watched six or more extra hours of TV every week.
Ownership of a Digital Video Recorder also seems to have a significant effect on viewing habits. Ofcom found that many prefer to watch programmes saved on their DVR rather than a DVD.
Price cuts
James Thickett, director of research at Ofcom, said the watchdog had seen two big trends over the last 12 months.
He told BBC News: "We've seen a need for greater control of the services you are getting and we've seen this by sales of digital video recorders.
"Second is a need for greater mobility. People are increasingly using their mobile devices for a range of functions such as camera, downloading music or listening to the radio," he said.
The report also revealed that although Britons are using more media and technology than ever they are spending less on it.
"For the second consecutive year in a row the price of communication services has fallen," said Mr Thickett.
Ofcom said strong competition and the "bundling" of services had let the communications industry realise economies of scale and drive prices lower. The monthly household spend on communications is now 92.65. In 2005 that monthly spend was 94.03.
"It's great for consumers," he said, "they are getting greater choice at lower prices than have ever been had."