(EMAILWIRE.COM, October 20, 2009 ) UK - Numerous factors determine which house we buy – but now location, size of rooms, garden and proximity to good schools are becoming less important as new research reveals that we really are living in the age of the computer - broadband speed is becoming a key factor in where us Brits choose to live...

A new survey from broadband comparison website Top 10 Broadband has found that broadband speed is a more important factor in choosing where to live in the UK than the proximity to a local pub. And that’s really saying something for Blighty.

Furthermore, almost 40 per cent of people said that poor broadband speed and patchy network connection were likely to actually put them off moving to a new area.

With a rise in the number of people working at home and others turning to the internet for everything from online dating to researching holidays and shopping, having a good internet service is crucial.

When I moved into my new home, we had no internet, TV or phone for three weeks – guess which one I missed the most.

The research also revealed that the British public is suffering from broadband envy. Six out of 10 people admitted that they would be annoyed and envious to find out a neighbour was receiving faster speeds than them.

So, today, in a true curtain twitching style, Top 10 Broadband has launched the UK’s first broadband speed test that allows you to see what broadband speeds your neighbours receive - taking keeping up with the Jones to a whole new level.

The StreetStats technology allows users to zoom into your postcode area and see the broadband providers people are using on your street – and the speeds they are achieving.
Alex Buttle, Director at Top 10 Broadband, said, “Until now broadband speed tests have only let you check your own speed. This is the first time everyone will be able to see what speeds their neighbours are getting and which broadband providers they are signed up to.

“As our broadband StreetStats show, despite all the competition between the major UK broadband providers there’s still huge variation in the speeds their customers receive - even on the same street. Our new speed test makes the broadband landscape more transparent than ever.”

Top 10 Broadband has already added 170,000 speed tests to its map and expects to collect over two million by the end of the year.

StreetStats gives you the ability to view broadband speed test results on your own street, with ground-breaking interactive speed maps. Users can zoom and pan around a Google map exploring the broadband speeds of any street in the UK.

To take the test and see your neighbours’ speeds, visit http://www.top10-broadband.co.uk/speedtest.

For more information on property in the UK and the market in general, please visit http://usa.themovechannel.com/

-ENDS-

Notes to editors:

TheMoveChannel.com is a property website that was founded in 1999 as an online resource for buying, selling and learning about property. It now receives as many as 300,000 visits per month and advertises over 50,000 properties in nearly 90 countries, which are listed by over 500 partner organisations.

For further information as well as images and interview possibilities, please contact:

Dan Johnson
Managing Director
www.themovechannel.com
0207 952 7650

Contact Information:
TheMoveChannel.com
Dan Johnson
Tel: 020 7952 7650
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