Almost two in three small and medium sized businesses now also use a mobile phone, a figure that has been steadily increasing for the past six months.

Carried out during November 2001, the research also revealed that 36 per cent of all SMEs use more than one fixed telecoms supplier and one in three SMEs use an unmetered Internet access package.

And over one third of medium businesses are now using leased lines.

Commenting on these findings, Peter Waller, Director of Operations at Oftel, said today:
"Oftel's new research shows that the take up of telecoms services by UK businesses continues to rise. Over 60 per cent of small and medium sized businesses are connected to the Internet.
"Almost three in five medium size businesses now connect to the Internet using an alternative to the traditional telephone network, such as cable modems and DSL.
"Although small and medium sized businesses' expenditure on telecoms services is relatively small compared to their annual turnover, it is still important that they are able to make well-informed purchasing decisions.
"Sources such as the website www.telecomsadvice.org.uk continue to provide important information which can help businesses make the right telecoms choice for them."