Bad Wi-Fi is hurting Brits’ relationships
Key Points
- Just under half of Britons feel that unreliable connectivity is adversely affecting their work and personal digital engagements.
- According to research from Sky, 46% of people have had to turn off their camera during a work call to keep their connection active.
- Just over a third apologised to a loved one for their spotty connection in the past month, frustrating their ability to connect.
- Gen Z are the least patient with disruptions to their engagement with digital content.
Britons work communications and their links with their loved ones are being compromised by bad Wi-Fi connections, according to new research.
A survey published by Sky on Monday 19 October found that unreliable connectivity is becoming a common and widespread frustration in the UK, disrupting everything from work meetings to catch-ups with family and friends.
Almost half of those surveyed by Sky said that the phrase “Sorry, my Wi-Fi is playing up” has become a routine mantra they repeat during their work week, with 46% of those workers saying they had to turn off their camera during a work call to keep their connection active.
34% said their bad Wi-Fi connection affected their ability to see a shared screen or share their own, and 27% said their spotty caused them to miss important instructions.
Sky highlighted that the impact of a poor internet connection spreads beyond work to personal relationships, noting that people’s relationships, which are becoming increasingly digital, are often affected by frustrations over connectivity.
According to the survey, 63% of people experienced freezing screens or dropped connections when catching up with others, and more than a third said they have had to apologise for their spotty internet during a personal call in the past month.
Gen Z are the least patient with poor Internet, the research found, and are more likely to abandon watching or engaging with content when they encounter buffering, stuttering, or freezing.
“Our research shows how unreliable broadband can disrupt everything from work meetings to calls with loved ones, which is why Sky Broadband is now bringing lightning-fast Full Fibre 1.6Gbps speeds to nearly 80% of homes in the UK – helping customers stay connected to what matters most,” said Sky Managing Director of Connectivity Ben Case.
