The Importance Of Broadband

The Importance Of Broadband

If you plan on selling your home, it is helpful to know what buyers are looking for. Right now, buyers are looking for larger homes, they want space, and they need dependable broadband.

With remote working set to become a common feature of everyday life, people need to stay in touch. Also, if we are spending more time at home, it is vital you feel connected to the world.

At Coakley & Theaker, we know many factors influence buyers. As a vendor, you need to connect with buyers as best as you can. This is why you should review the broadband at your home before placing your house on the market.

Broadband speeds matter

A study by comparethemarket.com finds 36% of homes have reported reduced internet speeds. This comes at a time when 74% of households are using the internet more. If this extrapolated across the country, close to 10 million households will have suffered in this manner.

The study indicates more than one in ten respondents’ class their internet connection as “bad”. However, 84% of respondents haven’t yet switched or even considered changing broadband supplier.

80% of people struggling with their broadband say their work is negatively affected by these issues. 23% say they have been unable to work at these times.

Some of the most pressing concerns for users occur when:

• Multiple users are online at the same time

• When they have to use video calls

• When they stream

• When their service drops out regularly

Holly Niblett is the head of digital at comparethemarket.com, and she said: “The millions of people who rely on their broadband at home for a wide range of reasons – work, paying bills and keeping in contact with friends and family – know first-hand how frustrating and inconvenient a poor internet connection can be. We know from our own research that the COVID-19 lockdown has seen almost three-quarters (74%) of households increase their internet usage, yet many are stuck on inadequate and expensive packages that don’t meet their requirements.”

Not everyone is looking to switch broadband provider

While there is frustration at broadband problems, only 16% of internet using households in the UK have switched or are considering switching.

Of the people who have switched, the following responses have been found:

• 48% switched for a faster and more reliable service

• 44% of these movers have chosen to pay the same or less for a better service

• 38% of people switching did so to ensure their broadband and TV package come from the same provider

Holly Niblett added: “In shopping around for a better deal, customers have access to a range of fast and affordable broadband packages that can cost less than their existing deal. When comparing broadband packages, customers should be mindful that many providers bundle broadband with TV packages, which can work out cheaper than purchasing the two separately.”

At Coakley & Theaker, we aim to support the local community as much as we can, and we know this is an extremely trying time. A lot of people are looking for support and guidance, and if you have any property or housing related questions, we are more than happy to assist you, so contact us today.