The possibility of the government investing in high-speed broadband for the good of the nation is an exciting one which would be welcomed by many, it has been stated.

Michael Phillips, the product director at BroadbandChoices.co.uk, said that the government may be more willing to change its mind in the current climate.

He argued that it could be brought in as a major part of a fiscal stimulus programme aimed at improving the British economy on a wider scale.

Mr Phillips explained that this was because "Britain is an information and service economy and internet connectivity is now at the heart of that, so I would absolutely welcome the fact that the government [could be] planning on investing in our infrastructure".

According to a recent article published by the Guardian, secretary of state for business, enterprise and regulatory reform Lord Mandleson said that the government is considering "pump priming" financial intervention to make sure homes in the UK are connected to the next step in connectivity.

More than half of small businesses (53 per cent) believe that the most important benefit of outsourcing is guaranteed response times for IT support. London-based Connect conducted the research in 2007.