Research: Brits Increasingly Dealing With Unstable Broadband

New research from Sky Broadband has found that unreliable internet connections are increasingly disrupting working life and everyday activities across the UK, with people apologising for broadband problems on work calls almost twice a week on average. The findings highlight the growing importance of reliable connectivity as households rely on broadband for work, entertainment and communication.

The research found that 42% of workers say “Sorry, my Wi-Fi is playing up” has become a regular phrase during their working week. Four in ten respondents said team meetings had been affected by slow or unreliable broadband, while 52% had asked colleagues to repeat information or provide follow-up notes because of connection problems.

Connection issues are also affecting participation in virtual meetings. Almost half of workers (46%) said they had turned off their camera to help stabilise their connection. Meanwhile, 34% had missed something shared on screen, 27% had missed important instructions and 20% had missed decisions being made during calls.

The impact extends beyond the workplace. The research found that 63% of respondents had experienced frozen screens or dropped connections during video calls with friends and family, while 34% had apologised for their internet connection during a personal video call in the previous month. Among Gen Z respondents, 90% said they had abandoned content altogether because of buffering, freezing or dropped connections.

The study also found that more than half of UK households regularly have five or more devices connected to their broadband simultaneously, with the average home running more than six connected devices. This reflects the growing demands placed on home networks by streaming, gaming, video calls and connected devices.