Broadband’s essential, customers say

Broadband’s as essential as water and gas, according to a new study.

The Communications Consumer Panel’s study, covered by the BBC, says that UK consumers believe broadband is now as essential as utilities such as water and gas.

The survey of over 2,000 adults shows that 73% believe a high speed connection is important. It also highlights that a growing proportion of people (55%) are using their broadband connection for entertainment services, such as streaming TV.

The Chair of the Communications Consumer Panel, Anna Bradley, told the BBC that, ‘it [broadband] is being compared by consumers to gas and electricity – things which they think we all ought to have access to, almost as a right.”

The study backs up our own recent research looking into the role of technology in family life. The O2 Digital Families study found that people are prioritising access to the internet over food and utility bills. Questioned on the items they are reluctant to cut back on in the credit crunch, families chose the internet (67%) over school uniforms (59%), family holidays (30%) and the weekly food shop (24%).

More information on our research can be found in our Digital Families report.