Four million Brits can't work from home because of poor connectivity
If your telecom's poor connectivity is preventing you from working from home, you're not alone. There are four million Brits suffering from the same woes, according to new research from uSwitch.com, the price comparison and switching service.
In the past year, almost half (43 percent) of employees in the UK have worked from home at least once. Among the younger workforce, those aged 18 - 34, the percentage jumps to 55. Yet, 58 percent have suffered from slow speeds and poor call quality. The problems were so pervasive that 46 percent of those with issues believe they can no longer work from home until something changes.
More than a fifth (22 percent) of those working from home need a steady, dependable broadband and mobile connection at least once every two weeks. Collectively, workers spent £190 million in the last year on alternative measures, to make sure they have steady, stable internet and phone services.
Some rushed to local cafes, some bought signal boosters, while some switched providers.
Ewan Taylor-Gibson, broadband expert at uSwitch.com, says:
Flexible working is more popular than ever. It’s a fact that employees who can influence their work environment have better overall job satisfaction and improved wellbeing.
But before committing to remote working, employees should make sure their home office is ready for use. As a first point of call, it’s worth checking to see if you can get a more reliable connection such as fibre, which will give you faster speeds and reduce the risk of services cutting out.
Next, fine-tune your work environment by making sure your router is away from devices that could interfere with the signal - like your TV -- and be aware that working during peak traffic times, such as the evening, could have a notable impact on your internet speeds.
Home workers plagued by patchy mobile signal might look to an alternative mobile provider that can provide better reception in their area. To avoid ongoing problems associated with poor signal, mobile users should check the coverage maps for where they live before joining another network.
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