It comes as no surprise that we have seen the rise of the amount of data being used during this lockdown period. More people are working from home, some relying on their mobile to hotspot for their connection. Zoom calls, FaceTime calls, WhatsApp video calling to name a few, have literally seen us ploughing through UK data. This is not just for the home workers; we are all missing our friends and family. Technology is what is somehow bridging that gap, allowing us to FaceTime or Zoom call those we miss most, sometimes on a daily basis.
SIM-only network Smarty, surveyed 2002 people and around half have stated that video calling is the biggest contributor to this huge jump in data use. 27% cited gaming as a big reason for data use rocketing upwards, while 20% put it down to online exercise classes. 16% are using more mobile data to take part in online classes and conduct research to learn new skills. The 11GB figure is skewed most by Gen Z respondents – 20% of them are using a monumental 40GB or more than usual.
Studies have shown that two thirds are streaming online services, 37% are watching Netflix, 24% on BBC iPlayer, 20% on Amazon Prime Video and 12% on the new Disney Plus streaming service. We are all aware of how much we are on our mobiles and mobile apps have played a big part of this massive surge. In fact, according to Smarty’s survey, since lockdown there has been a 23% rise. Of course, we are hoping you have downloaded our My Active Digital app from the app store! A customer exclusive app, keeping you up to date with all things Active Digital.
It would appear lots of people are searching for inspiration, maybe because they are looking at the same four walls, people have decided to search Pinterest for some interior ideas as it tops the lot with a 38% rise. Google Hangouts and Facebook are in joint second place with 35% and next comes Instagram with a 27% increase.
Should you have found yourself exceeding your data usage or are concerned about your data package, then please do contact us. The team here at Active Digital can add on a data bundle to your number to reduce the costs of out of bundle data usage. Furthermore, if you need a Mobile Broadband connection, we have some great offers for Wi-Fi dongles or Mi-Fi units for you to use at home.
We are here to keep you connected, please contact the team if this is something that you need – [email protected].
