According to a survey on WiFi commissioned by AirTies, 74% of respondents would consider upgrading to a faster tier of Internet service if they were ensured better speed and coverage in every room of their home or apartment; 77% said they would be willing to pay an extra monthly fee for better WiFi.
The survey of 1,050 respondents in the United States and UK, with multiple WiFi users per home, indicated that 78% of consumers surveyed would prefer that their Internet service providers (ISPs) provide them with their in-home WiFi networking gear, vs. purchasing it themselves. The survey also indicated that 43% of respondents have areas in their home or apartment where Internet service does not work, and that 54% have called their ISP to complain about their home Internet or WiFi.
"When most consumers think about their own home Internet experience, they don't view WiFi as something separate. This is why they are quick to call or blame their ISPs for performance issues," said Philippe Alcaras, CEO of AirTies. "Improving this experience shouldn't be the responsibility of consumers or third-party retailers, but rather their ISPs. In fact, the vast majority of consumers would prefer that, and would consider paying extra for a premium WiFi experience that works in every corner of their home."
Other findings indicate:
- Consumers ranked home Internet/broadband service to be more important than pay TV or home telephone service; 63% ranked it No. 1, while fewer than 20% ranked either TV or home phone as being most important.
- 68% of respondents said they would pay between $5-$10 (or 4-8 pounds) per month extra for better in-home WiFi.
- 67% of respondents would consider purchasing small, extra WiFi access points (APs) - in addition to the router they currently have - to place around their home to provide better speeds and coverage, but 78% of all respondents said they would prefer that their in-home WiFi routers/hardware be provided by their ISPs instead.
- 70% of consumers reported having at least five WiFi devices (such as smartphones, connected TVs, and tablets) in their home; 58% have between 5-10 devices; and 11% have between 10-15 devices.
- 92% of respondents said they are streaming video on WiFi connected devices in their homes.