One of Silicon Valley's elder statesmen, Steve Wozniak owes his considerable fame and fortune to a work life spent exploring the cutting edge of 21st-century technology. But in his domestic life, things couldn't be more different.

In an admission that has sparked soul searching in the egg-headed circles, Apple's co-founder has admitted he has yet to enjoy high-speed internet access at home. "I don't have broadband at my home," he is said to have declared. "I, Steve Wozniak, don't have broadband at my home."

At fault is a situation familiar to as many as 100 million residents of the US, where the communications infrastructure in many regions is controlled by privatised monopolies.

Despite living within a mile of Los Gatos, California, one of the most hi-tech cities in America, Mr Wozniak explained: "Broadband is a monopoly in my town – that means you can get it from a cable company, but I don't have cable."

The revelation came at a conference on internet connectivity in Australia last week.

Belfast Telegraph