Fear Of Being Offline stops us switching broadband

New research from First Utility shows that the ‘Fear Of Being Offline’ (FOBO) is stopping thousands from switching broadband, and costing UK customers a lot of money.

Whether it’s keeping up with social media, streaming Netflix, or simply checking email, the internet is vital to our daily lives.

Losing connection and being stuck offline, even for just a couple of days, can cause major disruptions.

According to First Utility, 84% of us are resistant to switch provider due to FOBO.

With 72% of us paying more money than we have to for broadband, is it really our fear of being disconnected that keeps us tied to overpriced contracts?

Guide: The quickest way to switch broadband

According to First Utility, most of the fears around switching are based on myths instead of facts.

26% of people surveyed thought that switching provider could lead to a less reliable connection, but this is a misconception. The vast majority of ISPs – everyone except Virgin Media – all use the same Openreach network. This means if you’re switching provider, you’re most likely getting exactly the same service.

First Utility estimate that UK customers are wasting over £520 million every year on overpriced, out-of-contract broadband tariffs.

We may be afraid of going offline, but switching your ISP isn’t going to make that happen.

In truth, ISPs are feeding on that fear – making customers pay considerably more for false peace of mind.

MAIN IMAGE: Brad Flickinger/CC BY 2.0