One in four small and medium-sized businesses switched their fixed-line telecoms operator during the first half of the year in search of cheaper rates, a new survey shows.

Communications regulator ComReg released the results of a survey yesterday showing that in May, the Republic's businesses believed the market had become more competitive over the previous year.

The survey found that 27 per cent of small and medium-sized businesses had changed fixed-line operator in the first half of 2005, compared to 16 per cent during the same period last year.

ComReg pointed out that potential cost savings were the main driver behind businesses switching between both fixed and mobile operators.

It said companies also believe that fixed-line networks provide better value for money than those providing mobile services.

"Some businesses expressed dissatisfaction with aspects of their mobile services such as the cost of roaming, the cost of mobile to fixed-line calls and the cost of calls to mobile numbers on a different network," it said.

At the time of the survey in May, over half of all businesses with internet access were using broadband. Almost half of all small and medium-sized businesses had broadband connections.