Broadband Adoption: A UK Residential Consumers Perspective

This paper aims to investigate the adoption of broadband in the context of the UK residential consumers. The objectives of this paper include: (i) to identify the factors affecting broadband adoption in households; (ii) to develop a model of broadband adoption (MBA); (iii) to discuss an appropriate research approach; and (iii) to present findings of an initial study to determine the factors responsible for the adoption and non-adoption of broadband in the UK. The theoretical aspect of the literature was based upon the Decomposed Theory of Planned Behaviour (Taylor and Todd 1995) and the Model of Adoption of Technology in Households (Venkatesh and Brown, 2001). The result of the undertaken study suggests that the factors driving consumers level of broadband adoption include: relative advantage, utility outcomes, and hedonic outcomes. The main factors for the non-adopters were identified to be: high costs and lack of needs. The gradual adoption of broadband by consumers is not only an industry concern, but a government aim as well. Therefore this research should offer a substantial contribution to all interested stakeholders including the ISPs and government.