Survey Claims Brits Would Rather Give Up Booze and the Gym than WiFi

A new survey of 2,000 UK adults, which was conducted by broadband ISP Virgin Media (VMO2), has found that respondents would rather give up booze (33%) and the gym (36%) than be without WiFi, with 98% stating they rely on broadband every day and 47% saying it’s vital they have a connection for the entire day.

Furthermore, some 50% of respondents admit that a reliable broadband connection is more important to them than going out for a meal (31%), taking their partner on a date (28%) or having access to streaming subscriptions (26%). However, despite the importance of a steady WiFi connection, some 34% of Brits claim they wouldn’t feel confident trying to fix their WiFi issues themselves.

The survey itself seems to conflate broadband with local WiFi connectivity a lot, which is understandable, although they are two different network types that can be jointly used to carry the same internet service, but which also tend to suffer from separate issues.

Summary of Additional Findings

➤ 56% of Brits believe that the position of their router can impact in-home WiFi performance, 76% aren’t aware that their router should be placed up high.

➤ New research suggests that 59% could get a more reliable connection if they put their hub in a better location within their home.

➤ 66% claim they’d feel confident in fixing WiFi issues they may experience, yet 40% have been left red-faced after admitting to shouting at their router in the event things go wrong.

➤ Many Brits are unaware that common household items can negatively impact their in-home connectivity, with the research revealing that 78% are unaware that metal furniture can mess with WiFi signal, as can baby monitors (83%) and fish tanks (90%).

Everyday items that can impact WiFi: 

1. Baby monitors 
2. Fish tanks 
3. Metal furniture 
4. Cordless phones 
5. Wireless speakers 
6. Televisions 
7. Refrigerators  
8. Games consoles  
9. Microwave ovens 
10. Portable radios 

ISPr EDITORS NOTE: Frankly, pretty much any physical object in the home environment can “impact” a wireless WiFi signal to some degree, but it’s often a question of whether or not you notice (i.e. is the negative impact significant enough to warrant adjustment – often it isn’t).

➤ 56% of Brits claim to know that the placement of a hub can affect in-home connectivity, yet 41% admit to putting their router next to or behind their TV, on the floor (12%) or even under their bed (6%) – all of which can contribute to avoidable WiFi woes.

➤ 45% of Brits are open to rearranging their home to create a clearer route for the WiFi signal.

Naturally, this is all because VMO2 has teamed up with space planner and Feng Shui expert, Cliff Tan, to provide tips on the best ways to “enhance WiFi and create positive energy around the home“, which is itself just another way of promoting their own broadband packages and WiFi guarantee. Alternatively, you could check out our – Top Tips for Boosting Your Home Wi-Fi Wireless Network Speeds – article.

Feng Shui’s WiFi Tips

Location: The heart of the home represents balance and connection between the various zones. Place your hub in a central part of your home, but more specifically, central to the high energy areas where you’ll rely on the hub the most to surf, stream and game to ensure that everyone is well connected. Try to keep your hub placed up high and facing forwards so the signal can reach the whole room.

Eye contact: Energy is best felt when it can be seen, and this is true even for WiFi signals. if you can, try to make sure you can see the hub from where you need it the most, i.e. put it near an office or living room area so your devices have a direct route for signal from your router.

Keep clutter away: Clutter is considered as negative in Feng Shui because it clogs the natural flow of energy throughout a room. Try to see broadband connectivity like this too and avoid putting items that might impact your hub’s signal, like baby monitors, speakers and TVs, directly next to or in front of your router as they will interfere with the WiFi and clog the natural flow of connectivity.

Mirror placements: Mirrors can reflect and change our environment, so be mindful how you use them. Some especially large wall mirrors can impact connectivity as the mirror is made up of a thin coat of metal which may cause interference to the hub. Try to keep your hub at least one meter away from large mirrors.

Be conscious of the five elements around the home: Feng Shui uses the five elements — earth, wood, fire, metal and water — to describe the physical and energic world around us. Watch out for metal in the home as metal furniture, for example a TV cabinet has a certain density and quality that can cause interference with WiFi signals, so you should consider where you place your hub.