* The proportion of UK households able to receive competitive broadband and phone services through local loop unbundling (LLU) increased by 27 percentage points over the year from 40% at the end of 2005 to 67% at the end of the 2006. LLU enables providers other than BT to fully control the equipment in the exchange and to offer a range of competitive phone and broadband services. The number of people able to receive LLU services increased from 0% in 2005 to 10% in 2006 in Northern Ireland.

* Almost three out of ten UK households (29%) took multiple services from a single telecoms provider in 2006 (fixed line phone and broadband for example). Bundling is highest in Northern Ireland (32%) and lowest in Wales at 22%. Growth in bundling has been fuelled by growing broadband take-up and increasing LLU availability.

* Average reported monthly household spend on mobile phone services ( £42 .18 based on an average two mobile phones per household) is greater than reported spend on fixed-line and internet combined across the UK ( £31 .18).