Survey: 60 per cent of UK folk only take landlines for broadband

by Mark Tyson on 25 November 2016, 10:02

Tags: British Telecom (LON:BT.A), Ofcom

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It's probably safe to say that a large group of people resent paying line rental charges for a telephone line purely for the sake of gaining broadband services. Of course, unless you use some kind of wireless broadband technology available in your area there will be a line of one type or another delivering your broadband zeroes and ones. However, companies have traditionally (until recently) sold broadband with a seemingly separate significant but unavoidable cost added on top for telephone services and a telephone line.

A new survey reveals that the telephone part of the service equation is increasingly irrelevant to UK customers. OnePoll, sponsored by Relish wireless 4G broadband, discovered that a huge 60 per cent of respondents had only taken a landline connection in order to gain access to broadband.

With very large scale mobile phone ownership across the UK, many people have plentiful amounts of free talk time provided in contract bundles, PAYG bundles, 'goody bags' or similar. Now 0800 numbers are actually free on mobile it is very rare that I will pick up a landline handset in our house.

Other interesting figures garnered from the survey include;

  • 20 per cent of users don't know their landline telephone number
  • 36 per cent of those surveyed only use their landline telephone once a month or less
  • 33 per cent expect that all landline calls will be automated and sales 'spam' calls
  • 22 per cent don't answer the landline if it rings
  • 22 per cent think that they will be landline free within 2 years

That last point about expecting to be landline free might include those who will use 4G mobile broadband and tethering for all their internet connectivity needs and others with the likes of Virgin fibre in their area now, or on the way. In summary "the British public are desperate to say goodbye to the landline," says Relish Head of Brand and Marketing, Bridget Lorimer, and it looks like a good fifth of them are optimists.

The OnePoll UK survey didn't have a very large sample number at only 2,000 respondents.

Source: ISP Review (via Neowin)



HEXUS Forums :: 24 Comments

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One poll sponsored by a company with a vested interest in the answer reached rings some “Bad PR” bells….. But…. I actually find that number reasonable! I'm certainly only paying for the line for the sake of fibre.
Nevermind knowing ny number, I don't have a landline phone!
I've got BT BB and phone. The phone has only ever been used to test the line, I've got a basic corded phone stashed away to use in case of emergency.

However I still give out this number (which I only know due to storing it in my phone) to companies who insist on having a phone number :)
'[DW
Cougho;3735187']I've got BT BB and phone. The phone has only ever been used to test the line, I've got a basic corded phone stashed away to use in case of emergency.

However I still give out this number (which I only know due to storing it in my phone) to companies who insist on having a phone number :)

For companies that do that (along with email address), I put in the phone number and email address of said companies customer service. That way they spam themselves. :)
What on earth is that wrapped around the telephone line in the bottom picture. :D