IN MUCH the same way that very few homes now go without central heating, few homes will go without a broadband internet connection in 20 years’ time.

Official figures released this month show that nearly ten million British households, or 40 per cent of the total, already have a broadband connection and that number is growing at more than 5 per cent a year.

A further 4.5 million households have a dial-up connection and more than one million are using Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) to make free or discounted calls over the internet.

But with the technology changing so quickly and more than 100 broadband providers and dozens of VoIP operators constantly inventing new packages and options, it is difficult to keep up-to-date with the latest developments.

To keep our readers in the picture and to ensure that they get the best value and most appropriate deals, Times Money has created a section of its website dedicated to the latest broadband and telecoms news and views.

The section, which can be found at www.timesonline.co.uk/broadband, carries all the latest articles and features from The Times, The Sunday Times and Times Online. The top story this week has been Ofcom’s proposal to make switching suppliers easier by forcing broadband providers to supply migration access codes promptly.

If you have no idea what a migration access code is and don’t know your modem from your microfilter, don’t worry. The new section also contains useful guides for beginners. There is an introduction to broadband, a jargon buster, information on VoIP and a guide on safe internet surfing.

Over the coming months we will also introduce a comprehensive broadband comparison tool so readers can evaluate the best deals in their area.

In the meantime, those thinking of changing suppliers should use the comparison tools at www.uswitch.com or www.moneysupermarket.com.

ANDREW ELLSON