29% of adults couldn’t last an hour without the internet

Pure Telecom announced new survey results from its annual Connected Lives survey, revealing that, when it comes to their personal lives, almost a third (29%) of adults in Ireland couldn’t last a full hour without the internet.

The research by the Citywest based company demonstrates the central role the internet now plays in people’s lives, to the point where 40% would turn down €5M in cash if it meant they could never use the internet again.

The nationally representative survey was conducted by Censuswide on behalf of Pure Telecom, surveying 1,001 adults in Ireland. The research underscores how the internet has become critical to facilitating meaningful and lasting human connections.

Young people, in particular, struggle to spend much time away from the internet and internet-connected devices.

Some 38% of 18-to-24-year-olds said they couldn’t cope with a full hour without internet. Additionally, almost half (48%) of this age group would reject the €5M cheque in exchange for being cut off from the internet.

These findings point to a trend among the general adult population that relationships conducted online are becoming as valuable as in-person ones.

Almost half of respondents (48%) feel that their online interactions feel just as meaningful as in-person conversations. Meanwhile, 61% credit the internet for improving their relationships with friends and family.

In addition to the value of the internet to people’s everyday lives, Pure Telecom’s survey shows that thrifty consumers are also seeking cost value.

Almost three-quarters of broadband account holders (74%) reported that they shop around before their broadband deal ends to ensure that they are getting the best deal.

Meanwhile, 67% contact their broadband provider to negotiate pricing with them once their contract ends.

The quest for value means that the majority of broadband account holders object to automatic annual price hikes of 3% or more, plus the annual rate of inflation, which are implemented by many broadband providers.

‘Almost three-quarters of respondents (74%) think that annual price increases should stop.

‘However, broadband account holders are willing to take action, with 73% saying that they would switch to a provider that doesn’t increase prices annually, if their current provider did so.

Paul Connell, CEO, Pure Telecom, said: “It’s only when we stop to think that we realise just how much we rely on the internet for our everyday lives and human connections.

‘We are sending instant messages to friends, tracking workouts and watching TV – all online – so in that context, an hour can feel like a long time. In fact, our research found that one-in-10 adults – more than 400,000 of us – couldn’t even make it beyond 15 minutes”.