Research has highlighted that one in four UK households who are using the internet have shown interest in installing a high-speed ADSL connection service over the next year.

However, many are now being put off, mainly because of the £40 per month average charge that will have to be paid for use of this service. The survey highlighted that the majority of users would be happy to pay around £13 per month and only those serious internet users are happy with the figure of £40.

Many consumers stated that they would not be interested in ADSL because they did not need a permanent connection to the internet as they did not use it enough and of these consumers 12% expressed concern about the security risk involved in having a permanent connection.

Of those surveyed already connected to the internet at home, 62% stated that they would be interested in having ADSL because of the high-speed access this offers and also being able to make telephone calls at the same time as using the internet on a single line connection.

Oftel found last month that UK customers are paying more for their DSL and cable modem services that those people of the US and European markets, however, they do expect prices to fall once competition and choice for high-speed internet services start to grow.