According to a study released last week by U.K. carrier British Telecom (BT), 83 percent of those opening a Christmas gift will be unwrapping a connected device this year. The study found that the average British household already has an average of 28 devices connected to their household WiFi network.
With an upsurge in internet traffic this year with so many people working and studying from home, the demand for more online outlets has increased dramatically in 2020. Smartphones were the most popular gift choice for survey respondents, with 36 percent saying they were planning to give one to a loved one. Game consoles came in as a close second, with 33 percent intending to gift one.
Although the average household already has four smart TVs, according to BT Full Fibre, 21 percent of those surveyed said they were planning on purchasing another one as a gift. Some households revealed they anticipate having at least eight smart TVs in their home in the near future. BT reports that broadband traffic has doubled during daytime hours, especially when “bandwidth hogs,” identified primarily as children and men, log on.
“Connected devices have fast become a key part of our everyday lives, and this year more than ever has highlighted the importance of a reliable, quality broadband connection around the home,” stated Ortis Deley of The Gadget Show.
With so many Britains likely to see smartphones, smart TVs, laptops, game consoles, tablets, and smart speakers under the Christmas tree this year, Deley is not wrong.
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