And it is not only people who log on to the internet these days.

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Knowing that most small business people would rather watch TV than log on to the Internet, Ma secured advertisements for Taobao on major TV channels.

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The UK is still some way behind the US - where 50% of the population have home internet access - but the price war is encouraging more people to log on.

BBC: UK internet use surges

As the Internet evolved, consumers could log on directly through their cable provider or phone provider.

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Customers can make phone calls, send faxes, access the Internet, transfer images, transmit videos and log on remotely to a local area network.

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Around 78% of working age benefit claimants already use the internet - 48% of those say they log on every day - many to search for jobs online.

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Yes, massive open online courses allow anyone with an Internet connection to log on and learn, but does it meet the learning needs of every student around the world?

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But would you at all agree with critics who say you can log onto the Internet at any time during the day, you can turn on cable television at any time and see and hear these images that are being questioned right now?

WHITEHOUSE: Press Briefing

The Internet also helps Dell provide better and cheaper technical support with technology that allows buyers to log on to a Web site for instant answers and software fixes (see box, opposite).

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