The average broadband speed that can be found in the UK is 3.6Mb/s, according to the newest research by the Office of Communications (Ofcom).

In the study, it was found that this fell well short of the desired 4.3Mb/s which Ofcom stated was the average maximum speed, as well as the advertised headline speeds.

Ofcom chief executive Ed Richards said the first steps towards super-fast broadband were being made in the UK and it wanted to ensure that regulatory steps were published in light of current systems in place.

He continued: "We want to see all internet service providers meet the needs of their customers by clearly explaining what speeds they should expect and by ensuring that their networks meet consumers' increasing demand for higher speed broadband."

Ofcom was established as the corporate body by the Office of Communications Act of 2002, making it the regulator of TV, radio, telecommunications and wireless services.

In a recent survey of SMEs for Connect, the two most important benefits of outsourcing were guaranteed response times and allowing in-house IT staff to concentrate on more strategic issues.