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| Consumers'
use of Internet Oftel residential survey – Q12 February 2003 –
Published 12 May 2003 |
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Contents
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|
Aug ‘00 |
Aug ‘01 |
Nov ‘01 |
Feb ‘02 |
May ‘02 |
Aug ’02 |
Nov ’02 |
Feb ‘03 |
|
|
Freeserve |
27% |
19% |
21% |
21% |
20% |
20% |
19% |
21% |
|
BT |
15% |
18% |
16% |
20% |
23% |
18% |
22% |
20% |
|
AOL |
10% |
16% |
15% |
17% |
20% |
19% |
19% |
17% |
|
NTL (includes cable and Wireless) |
8% |
9% |
11% |
13% |
12% |
17% |
14% |
13% |
|
Tiscali (including Tiny Online and Lineone from May ’02 onwards) |
- |
- |
3% |
2% |
5% |
4% |
4% |
6% |
|
Virgin Net |
3% |
3% |
3% |
2% |
3% |
4% |
3% |
4% |
|
Others |
23% |
25% |
22% |
18% |
15% |
18% |
19% |
18% |
|
Total |
100% |
100% |
100% |
100% |
100% |
100% |
100% |
100% |
Amount paid for broadband and unmetered narrowband
4.5 PSTN Internet customers using unmetered packages claim to pay on average £14 per month for their Internet service – this includes those on fully unmetered packages (ie 24/7 access), and those on partly unmetered packages (ie unlimited use at certain times, or a set number of hours).
4.6 Broadband customers in comparison claim to pay about £22 per month on average for their service. ADSL customers estimated their monthly cost to be about £26 on average, compared with cable customers whose average spend was about £20. This lower cable spend is consistent with the lower speed (128k) / lower cost ‘broadband’ services offered by ntl (which cost about £15 per month). ADSL customers using BT as their ISP claimed to pay about £30 per month for their service compared with those using other ISPs over ADSL who paid about £23. These estimates are consistent with current market prices indicating that customers appear to have a fairly good idea of how much they are paying for their broadband services.
Potential response to price increases
4.7 Broadband customers and PSTN Internet customers using unmetered access were asked about the ways in which they might change their Internet usage if prices were to rise by 10% and by 50%. This type of result should be treated with some degree of caution as it is speculative, asking people to predict what they might do, and therefore may not accurately reflect the reality of what would happen if prices did change. Actual behaviour would depend amongst other things on customers noticing changes to prices and making the effort to change – it is well known that the level of claimed switching intentions is rarely achieved in practice. This type of questioning however, can give a useful guide to the minimum number of customers who would not switch following price changes, and their reasons for not doing so.
Unmetered PSTN
4.8 In response to a 10% rise, just over half of PSTN unmetered Internet customers said they would continue to use this access / package. Almost 1 in 5 said they would switch to a different type of access (10% would upgrade to broadband, and 8% would switch to metered access). Following a 50% increase, those loyal to PSTN unmetered access fell to just 6%. About 3 in 10 would switch to another package (16% to broadband, and 12% to metered access). The remainder were unsure what their reaction would be, or thought they might stop using the Internet at home. This is shown in figure 4d. Those who said they would consider switching to broadband at a 10% rise in PSTN unmetered prices were younger and higher income groups.
Figure 4d: Proposed
behaviour in response to price increases
Base: UK homes with PSTN unmetered Internet access (Base: 364),
Feb ’03
Broadband
4.9 In comparison, broadband customers were more loyal to their access method, with 4 in 5 claiming they would continue to use broadband if prices rose 10%, falling to a third at a 50% price rise. The main reason for this loyalty was the perceived value of the faster speeds. Just over half said this was the reason they would continue to use broadband, even at a 50% price rise, which is consistent with perceptions of the main reasons for getting broadband, the main benefits noticed since adoption, and the most valued aspect of the service, all discussed in chapter 6. About a fifth each mentioned the value of the permanent connection and the simultaneous phone / Internet usage as reasons why they would not switch away from broadband if prices rose.
4.10 Given a 10% price increase, only 1 in 10 broadband customers thought they would switch to narrowband, mostly to unmetered access, rising to 4 in 10 at a 50% price increase.
4.11 About half of those claiming they would switch to narrowband said they would get a second line (32% definitely, 15% maybe). This equates to about 1 in 5 broadband homes who would switch to narrowband with 2 lines. This is consistent with broadband customers’ heavier Internet usage and the perceived value of being able to make and receive calls at the same time as using the Internet.
Figure 4e: Proposed
behaviour in response to price increases
Base: UK broadband decision-makers, Mar ’03 (Base: 250)
Internet customers’ payment and billing preferences
4.12 When asked about billing and payment preferences for their home Internet service 8 in 10 Internet customers expressed a preference for a particular method. 4 in 10 (39%) said they would prefer a direct debit payment to be taken automatically from their bank account or credit card. 3 in 10 (29%) preferred to be billed for their Internet service on their ordinary phonebill which they would then pay by their normal method, and 12% preferred a completely separate bill which they would pay by their chosen method. This is shown in figure 4f.
4.13 Fewer broadband customers expressed preference for their broadband charges to appear on their phonebill (17% vs 29% average), preferring instead a direct debit from their bank or debit card.
Figure 4f Billing
/ payment preferences for Internet services
Base: UK homes with Internet access, Feb ’03 (Base: 986)
5.1 In February 2003, 9 in 10 (91%) of Internet customers were satisfied with their overall service. Satisfaction has remained stable during the past couple of years, as shown in figure 5a, at a level slightly below satisfaction with fixed and mobile services.
5.2 Satisfaction with speed and reliability of service improved marginally this quarter, possibly a result of increasing broadband take-up. 9 in 10 customers were satisfied with value for money of their home Internet service, again a slight improvement on last quarter.
Figure 5a: Satisfaction
with home Internet service
Base: UK homes with Internet access, Feb ‘03 (Base: 986, ‘don’t
knows have been excluded)
5.3 Internet customers remain least satisfied with the speed of access which has been consistently lower than other aspects of service. Narrowband unmetered customers were least satisfied with this aspect of their service, which probably reflects their heavy usage in comparison to those using metered packages, who are lighter users, and therefore potentially less affected by or concerned with speed. Satisfaction with speed rises significantly amongst those consumers using broadband Internet access. Broadband customers remain most satisfied with all aspects of their Internet service as shown in figure 5b.
Figure 5b: Satisfaction
with aspects of home Internet service
Base: UK homes with Internet access, Feb ‘03 (Base: 986, ‘don’t
knows have been excluded)
|
Average |
Narrowband unmetered (PSTN/ISDN) |
Narrowband metered (PSTN/ISDN) |
Broadband |
|
|
Overall Internet service |
91% |
89% |
93% |
97% |
|
Quality and reliability |
88% |
88% |
89% |
95% |
|
Speed |
74% |
66% |
70% |
94% |
|
Value for money |
90% |
89% |
90% |
91% |
Reasons for getting broadband
6.1 Faster Internet access was the main reason for getting broadband Internet access for 7 in 10 (69%) broadband customers. Significantly fewer mentioned simultaneous use (ie the ability to make phone calls at the same time as using the Internet), or the permanent connection (ie not having to dial up each time) amongst their main reasons for getting broadband. However, as discussed in paragraph 6.12, whilst these are not necessarily appreciated prior to adoption, they appear to become more valued once consumers get used to having these features. These results are consistent with those reported in November 2002, which also contains information on what broadband customers were using their service for.
Figure 6a: Reasons
for getting broadband services
Base: UK broadband decision-makers, Mar ‘03 (Base: 250)
Choice of broadband supplier
6.2 According to industry subscriber figures, approximately 2 in 5 residential broadband customers use ADSL services and the remainder use cable modem. ADSL customers have a choice of a number of ISPs in addition to BT, and of those using cable, approximately two-thirds use ntl and a third Telewest.
6.3 Cost and familiarity / convenience were the main drivers of ISP choice as shown in figure 6b. In total just under half (46%) of broadband customers mentioned costs, including usage, installation, and special deals. A similar proportion (44%) said they already used their broadband supplier for their home phone or previous Internet service. This was significantly higher among cable than BT customers however, at 54% and 30% respectively. BT broadband customers tended to be driven more by special deals, perceptions of reliability and customer service, and the trustworthy brand name, as did those using alternative ADSL ISPs. Cable customers on the other hand were more likely to mention cost as well as the familiarity / convenience of already using the supplier.
Figure 6b: Reasons
for choice of broadband ISP (spontaneous mentions)
Base: UK broadband decision-makers, Mar ‘03 (Base: 250)
Importance of broadband billing arrangements
6.4 Just over 7 in 10 (71%) broadband customers used the same supplier for their ISP and home phone services (BT, ntl, Telewest). Two-thirds (68%) of these customers using said they were billed for their broadband service on their ordinary phone bill (equivalent to just less than half – 48% – of all broadband customers). Single billing was significantly higher amongst cable (74%) than BT customers(45%). The remainder were billed separately for their broadband service either via direct debit, or a separate bill.
6.5 When asked about preferred billing method, as discussed in chapter 4, broadband customers were less likely than average to express preference for a joint broadband / phone bill (17% vs 29% average preference for a single bill). Previous research conducted by Oftel in August 2002 found that 1 in 10 narrowband customers interested in upgrading to broadband said they would choose a supplier offering a one-bill service, although the majority said they would not select a more expensive broadband service simply because it offered this convenience.
6.6 When asked about reasons for their choice of ISP only one broadband customer spontaneously mentioned a single bill. However, when prompted, of the half of broadband customers who receive a single broadband / phone bill, 1 in 5 (equivalent to about 10% of broadband customers) said ability to provide a single bill was one of the most important factors in deciding which ISP to use. For the remainder, single billing was not the key driver of their ISP choice as shown in figure 6c. This is consistent with research conducted in November 2002. Single billing was important to twice as many cable as BT customers.
Figure 6c: Importance
of single billing in ISP choice
Base: UK broadband decision-makers, Mar ‘03 (Base: 250)
Where heard about ISP’s broadband service
6.7 General advertising (direct mail, poster, radio, newspaper and TV ads) was the main means by which broadband customers became aware of their ISPs broadband service, as shown in figure 6d. 15% of customers said they read about the service in information sent with their phonebill, and 10% said their ISP had called them about the service. Only 1% said they had phoned their ISP about something else and were told about the broadband service at this point.
6.8 Again there were differences between BT, cable, and other ISP broadband customers. BT customers were more likely to quote advertising or that they had contacted BT to enquire about their broadband service. Cable customers in comparison were more likely than average to mention information with their phonebill or direct mail, whilst customers of other DSL ISPs relied more on work of mouth, their ISP calling them or information via the Internet.
Figure 6d: How
became aware of ISPs broadband service (spontaneous mentions)
Base: UK broadband decision-makers, Mar ‘03 (Base: 250)
Broadband customers’ previous Internet access
6.9 Qualitative results reported in November indicated that the majority of broadband customers had upgraded from narrowband, primarily from unmetered PSTN services. This is confirmed by results from the March ad hoc broadband survey, shown below in figure 6e.
6.10 A third of broadband customers previously had two PSTN lines, again higher amongst cable (42%) than BT customers (25%).
Figure 6e: Previous
Internet access used by broadband customers
Base:
UK broadband decision-makers, Mar ‘03 (Base: 250)
Benefits of broadband
6.11 Faster speed was by far the most obvious benefit of broadband in comparison to previous Internet access methods, as shown in figure 6f. A third of broadband customers who had upgraded from narrowband mentioned the value of the permanent connection, and a similar proportion the simultaneous usage facilities.
6.12 Simultaneous usage was a noticeable benefit to considerably fewer customers who previously had two PSTN lines, and to a lesser extent those who used metered access, presumably as the latter group tended spend less time online than average and hence phone calls were not constrained to the same extent.
6.13 About 1 in 6 customers specifically noticed the content benefits of broadband – these tended to be younger consumers.
Figure 6f: Perceived
benefits of broadband compared to previous narrowband service
Base:
UK broadband decision-makers, who previously used narrowband, Mar ‘03
(Base: 231)
Features of broadband valued most
6.14 Similar results, shown in figure 6g below, indicate the three features of broadband which customers value most – speed, permanent connection, and simultaneously usage. Speed primarily drives broadband take-up, and the permanent connection and simultaneous usage were not key drivers for the vast majority of customers. However, once connected to broadband, the value and perceived benefits of these latter two features become much more evident to customers. Content was considered amongst the top three most valuable aspects of broadband for just over half (54%) of customers, again more evident among younger groups.
Figure 6g: Top
three most valued features of broadband
Base: UK broadband decision-makers, Mar ‘03 (Base: 250)
7.1 Customers using PSTN Internet services were told about the features and current prices of broadband Internet services (monthly fee starting from £20 and a one-off connection charge of £50), and asked how likely they were to get broadband at these prices. Last quarter’s report highlighted a significant rise in awareness of broadband services – almost 8 in 10 Internet users were aware of broadband in November 2002, compared with just over half nine months previously in February 2002.
7.2 At current prices, a quarter of PSTN Internet customers thought they would get broadband. This does not necessarily mean that a quarter will actually get broadband, as previous research has clearly shown that claimed intentions rarely materialise in the same level of take-up. What can be more reliable however, is the proportion of consumers claiming they are not currently interested in broadband, reasons for which include the cost (connection fee as well as usage costs), insufficient use to justify getting broadband, and satisfaction with current method / speed, as shown in figures 7a and 7b.
Figure 7a: Likelihood
of getting broadband at current prices
Base:
UK homes with PSTN Internet access, Feb ’03 (Base: 767)
7.3 Those expressing greatest interest in getting broadband at current prices include younger to middle age groups, higher income groups, medium to heavy weekly Internet users, and those already using unmetered packages (33% of unmetered customers thought they would upgrade compared to 20% of metered customers), and those with more than one fixed line. 2 in 5 of this latter group thought they would get broadband, but perhaps more interesting is that the same proportion thought they would not. Given that their monthly rental costs for two lines are likely to be comparable to broadband costs, this perhaps indicates either that they don’t realise what they are paying for two lines and its comparability with broadband costs, or, that they value their second line for phone calls and not just Internet use. The latter is consistent with previous Oftel research which found that only half of homes with a second line actually used this for Internet.
Reasons for not getting broadband
7.4 Reasons for not getting broadband obviously differ by customer type. Cost barriers however, were consistent across income groups. Older customers (who are generally lighter users) said they didn’t use the Internet enough, as did ABC1 social groups, who are lighter users than their C2DE peers. Overall only 3% mentioned lack of availability as the reason for not getting broadband, and only 4% were specifically deterred by not knowing enough about it.
Figure 7b: Reasons
not likely to get broadband at currently prices (unprompted)
Base: UK homes using PSTN Internet not likely to get broadband
at current prices Feb ’03 (Base: 430)
Opinion on ‘attractive’ broadband prices
7.5 Given the obvious importance of costs, PSTN Internet customers who said they were not likely to get broadband were asked what broadband prices would need to fall to before they would consider getting it. 15% of these customers said they wouldn’t switch to broadband at any price, and a further 20% weren’t sure what price, if any, would attract them.
7.6 Of the remaining two-thirds, the vast majority said that prices would have to fall to under £20, quoting £12 on average, with those using unmetered packages prepared to pay about a third more than those on metered packages.
7.7 Caution should be applied to this type of result however due to the hypothetical nature of the questioning. Even at £12, many of these customers may still not adopt broadband. The average price is deflated by lighter users and reflects the low value of broadband to these customers and potentially a lack of appreciation of the benefits of broadband, rather than realistic perceptions of an acceptable price.
7.8 Perhaps surprisingly, customers with second lines didn’t value broadband any more than average, consistent again with findings above which indicate the value of second lines for phone calls and not just Internet use.
Figure 7c: Take-up
and interest in broadband at various prices
Base: UK homes with Internet access, Feb ’03 (Base: 986)
All
Do you or
does anyone in your household have a PC (by PC we mean a desktop or
laptop or any other computer)?
Yes
No
Don’t know/no answer
All
Do you or
does anyone in your household have access to the Internet/world wide
web at home (via any device, e.g. PC, TV, mobile phone, etc)?
Yes
No
Don’t know/no answer
All not connected
to the Internet
How likely,
if at all, are you to get access to the Internet at home in the next
12 months?
Very
likely
Fairly likely
Not very likely
Not at all likely
Don’t know/no answer
Unlikely to get
Internet access
Why are you
unlikely to get access to the Internet at home?
Have Internet access
And which
of these types of connection does your household use to connect to the
Internet at home?
Ordinary phone line
– dial up access using a modem
ISDN line
– mid speed access/faster than an ordinary phone. You can make voice
calls at the same time as using the Internet.
Broadband
Access via DSL/ADSL – much faster than ordinary phone – is always on
and unmetered access. You can make voice calls at the same time as using
the Internet.
Broadband
access via Cable modem – much faster than ordinary phone – is always
on and unmetered access. You can make voice calls at the same time as
using the Internet.
High speed
access via another method e.g. satellite, fibre optic, fixed, wireless
or leased line
Other
Don’t know/no
answer
Have PSTN Internet
access
Do you have
a second phone line to enable you to make telephone calls at the same
time as using the Internet, please do not include your mobile phone?
Yes
No
Don’t know/no
answer
Have Internet
access
Which Internet
Service Provider(s) (ISPs) does your household currently use, including
any free ISPs?
Have Internet access
Thinking about
your household’s main ISP, do you have to pay a subscription fee for
the package provided? This might include free usage time, and normally
is paid on a monthly or annual basis.
Yes
No
Don’t know / no answer
Have Internet access
Do you ever
pay any ‘per minute’ call charges for the time you spend online?
Pay
‘per minute’ call charges for all the time spent online
Pay ‘per minute’
call charges for some but not all of the time spent online
Do not pay any ‘per
minute’ call charges for being online
Don’t know/no answer
Have broadband or
unmetered PSTN Internet access
How much do
you pay each month for your Internet service? Please do not include
any other phone charges or bills, only the subscription you pay for
your Internet service.
Have Internet access
Which of the
following best describes how you would prefer to pay for your home Internet
services?
Direct payment from
my credit card, with no separate bill
Direct debit payment
straight from my bank account, with no separate bill
Charges billed
on my phone bill then pay by cheque, direct debit, credit card, or other
method
Charges billed
on a separate bill then pay by cheque, direct debit, credit card, or
other method
I don’t mind how
I pay
Other
Don’t know/no answer
Have Internet access
How many hours
would you say you and members of your household spend using the Internet
at home in a typical week?
Less than an
hour per week
1 –2 hours per week
3 – 5 hours per week
6 – 10 hours per
week
11 – 15 hours per
week
16 – 20 hours per
week
21 – 30 hours per
week
More than 30 hours
per week
Don’t know/no answer
Have Internet access
How satisfied
are you with the following…..?
Your home Internet
service overall
The speed of your
home Internet service
The quality and reliability
of your home Internet service The overall value for money
of your home Internet service
Very satisfied
Fairly satisfied
Not very satisfied
Not at all satisfied
Don’t know/no answer
Have PSTN unmetered
Internet access
Which of the
following do you think you would do if current unmetered charges were
to rise by 10% would you?
Continue to
use unmetered narrowband/current package
Switch to
metered narrowband – ordinary phone line, dial-up access with a pay
as you go package
Switch to DSL/cable
modem broadband
Stop using the Internet
Don’t know/no answer
Have PSTN unmetered
Internet access
And if they
were to rise by 50% would you?
Continue to
use unmetered narrowband/current package
Switch to metered
narrowband – ordinary phone line, dial-up access with a pay as you go
package
Switch to DSL/cable
modem broadband
Stop using the Internet
Don’t know/no answer
Have PSTN unmetered
Internet access
Broadband
Internet services such as DSL or cable modem allow you to be permanently
connected to the Internet and offer much faster Internet access than
an ordinary phone line. You do not have to pay call charges for the
time you spend online, and you can use the same line to make voice calls
while you are using the Internet. Current charges start around £20 per
month, in addition you may have to pay a one off connection fee of about
£50.
How likely are you to consider replacing your current connection with broadband services at current prices.
Very
likely
Fairly likely
Not very likely
Not at all likely
Don’t know/no answer
Have PSTN access
and unlikely to get broadband
Why would
you not consider replacing your current connection with broadband?
Have PSTN access
and unlikely to get broadband
What would
the monthly broadband subscription have to drop to before you would
consider using a broadband Internet service?
Ad hoc broadband decision-makers survey
Firstly, how often
do you personally access the Internet from a PC or laptop from home?
Please include receiving and sending emails from home?
Almost every day
Every 2-3 days
About once a week
About once a fortnight
About once a month
Never but have access here
Don't have Internet here
Do you have broadband Internet access at home via either an ADSL (Assymetric Digital Subscriber Line) or cable modem connection?
Broadband Internet access offers high speed Internet access enabling you to download information and content up to 10 times faster than via your existing phone line. It also means you are permanently connected to the Internet and don't have to dial up each time you want to use it and that you can make telephone calls at the same time as using the Internet (without the need for a second fixed line).
Is this an
ISDN connection?
Yes - ADSL
Yes - cable modem
Yes - not sure which type of connection (but not ISDN)
No
Don't know
Which telecoms provider supplies the telephone line(s) in your home? Is it...?
BT 1
NTL 2
Telewest 3
Other cable company4
Other 1
What were your main reasons for getting broadband Internet at home? PROBE: What others?
And which Internet Service Provider (ISP) do you currently use for your broadband Internet service at home?
What were your main reasons for choosing ...... for your broadband service rather than one of the other ISP's? PROBE: Why else?
How
did you come to hear about you ISP's (Internet Service Provider's) broadband
service?
TV advert 1
Radio advert 2
Poster 3
Newspaper
advert 4
Direct mail 5
Information
with phone bill 6
I phoned the
ISP 7
Someone from
the ISP called me 8
The ISP mentioned
it when I called them about something else 9
Word of mouth 0
Other (SPECIFY) 1
Are
you billed for your broadband service on your ordinary phone bill or
do you receive a separate bill or are you billed for your broadband
service in some other way, e.g. by credit or debit card?
On same phone
bill 1
Billed separately 2
Billed in
some other way e.g. by credit/ debit card 3
Don't know
Y
When deciding which supplier to use for your broadband, how important was the fact that you were billed for your broadband service on your ordinary phone bill? Was it ..
The most important
factor 1
An equally
important factor along with others 2
It was important
but other factors were more important 3
I was aware
of it but it was not very important 4
I did not
even take it into account 5
Don't know
Y
How much do you pay each month for your broadband service? Please do not include any other phone charges or bills, only the subscription you pay for your broadband service.
(And)
Which of the following do you think you would do if current broadband
charges were to rise by 10%? Would you...?
(And) Which
of the following do you think you would do if current broadband charges
were to rise by 50%? Would you...?
|
Continue to use broadband |
|
Switch to unmetered narrowband - ordinary phone line dial-up access paying a set fee for unlimited use |
|
Switch to metered narrowband - ordinary phone line dial-up access with a pay as you go package |
|
Stop using Internet |
|
Don't know (DO NOT READ OUT) |
Why would you continue to use broadband rather than switching to a narrowband package?
And if you switched to narrowband Internet access, would you get a second line to enable the phone to be used at the same time as the Internet?
Yes definitely 1
Yes maybe 2
No probably
not 3
No definitely
not 4
Which of the following best describes the type of Internet connection you used before getting broadband?
Ordinary phone line/
dial up access 1
ISDN 2
Didn't have
Internet before getting broadband 3
Other 4
And
which of the following best describes the type of package you used before
getting broadband?
Pay as you go - where
you pay for all your calls whilst online perhaps in addition to a set
monthly or quarterly charge 1
Subscription
providing unlimited usage at certain times of the day or for a set number
of hours 2
Subscription
providing unlimited usage at all times and for any number of hours 3
Don't know
Y
And before getting broadband, did you have more than one fixed line enabling the phone to be used at the same time as the Internet?
What benefits of broadband have you noticed compared to your previous Internet service?
And which three of the following features of broadband do you value most?
Faster speed 1
Always on/
not having to dial up each time 2
Simultaneous
Internet/ phone use 3
Increased
content 4
Better quality/
accessibility of images, videos, animations, music, live webcasts 5
Internet radio 6
Better interactive
gaming, debates, two way video communications 7
Faster/ wider
range of e-commerce opportunities 8
Something
else 9
What were your main reasons for getting broadband Internet at home? (Unprompted), Base: UK broadband decision makers (Base: 191)
Faster access generally 71%
Simultaneous use of phone/ Internet 13%
Faster movement
around the web 11%
Not much more
expensive than normal lines 9%
Permanent
connection 9%
More reliable 7%
Generally
for more Internet use 7%
Continuous
email access 4%
Good deal/
offer 4%
Business use 4%
Gaming 3%
Internet radio 3%
School/ college
work/ children’s education 3%
Download music
files 3%
Exchange file
attachments more quickly 3%
Other reasons 9%
Don’t know 1%
And which Internet
Service Provider (ISP) do you currently use for your broadband Internet
service at home?
Base:
UK broadband decision makers (Base: 191)
NTL 23%
BT 23%
Telewest 18%
AOL 9%
Freeserve 5%
Others 17%
Don’t know 5%
What were your
main reasons for choosing ...... for your broadband service rather than
one of the other ISP's? (Unprompted)
Base:
UK broadband decision makers (Base: 191)
Use them already
for phone service 28%
Cheap usage
costs 18%
Had special
deal 16%
Cheaper package
generally 11%
Reliable service 11%
Only choice
in my area 8%
Use them already
as ISP 8%
Use them already
(general mention) 8%
Cheap installation
costs 5%
Good customer
service 4%
Have good
name 4%
Came with
package/ cable TV 4%
Fast speeds 3%
Only one available/
main provider at the time 3%
Recommendation 3%
Other reasons 9%
Don’t know 5%
How did you come
to hear about you ISP's (Internet Service Provider's) broadband service?
(Prompted)
Base:
UK broadband decision makers (Base: 191)
Direct mail 25%
Word of mouth 22%
TV advert 19%
Information
with phone bill 12%
Newspaper
advert 10%
Phoned ISP 6%
ISP called
me 6%
ISP website 5%
Poster 4%
Internet 4%
Through work 3%
Internet adverts 3%
Other 11%
Don’t know 7%
Are you billed for
your broadband service on your ordinary phone bill or do you receive
a separate bill or are you billed for your broadband service in some
other way, e.g. by credit or debit card?
Base: All
using BT/ntl/Telewest for both their telephone lines and Internet broadband
service (Base: 108)
On same phone bill 70%
Billed separately 20%
Billed in
some other way 4%
Don’t know 6%
When deciding which supplier to use for your broadband, how important was the fact that you were billed for your broadband service on your ordinary phone bill? (Prompted) Base: All paying for their Internet broadband service on their ordinary phone bill (Base: 71)
The most important
factor 3%
An equally
important factor along with others 18%
Important,
but other factors more important 6%
Not very important 22%
Didn’t consider
it 48%
Don’t know 3%
How much do you pay each month for your broadband service? Please do not include any other phone charges or bills, only the subscription you pay for your broadband service. [Actual amount in £ and p was coded]
Base: UK broadband
decision makers (Base: 191)
Average £26
Don’t know 5%
Which of the following
do you think you would do if current broadband charges were to rise
by 10%? Would you...?
Base: UK broadband
decision makers (Base: 191)
Continue to use
broadband 82%
Switch to
unmetered narrowband 6%
Switch to
metered narrowband 2%
Stop using
Internet 6%
Don’t know 4%
Which of the following do you think you would do if current broadband charges were to rise by 50%? Would you...?
Base: UK broadband
decision makers (Base: 191)
Continue to
use broadband 35%
Switch to
unmetered narrowband 31%
Switch to
metered narrowband 7%
Stop using
Internet 16%
Don’t know 10%
Why would you continue
to use broadband rather than switching to a narrowband package? (Unprompted)
Base: All
who would continue to use broadband if charges rose by 50% (Base: 67)
Value the faster
speeds 55%
Value simultaneous
Internet/ phone usage 20%
Value not
having to dial up/ connect 18%
Broadband
worth the additional cost 16%
Cannot be
bothered/ too much hassle to change 3%
Other reasons 9%
Don’t know 9%
And if you switched
to narrowband Internet access, would you get a second line to enable
the phone to be used at the same time as the Internet?
Base: All
saying they would switch to narrowband at either price increase (Base:
75)
Yes definitely 30%
Yes maybe 13%
No probably
not 22%
No definitely
not 32%
Don’t know 3%
Which of the following
best describes the type of Internet connection you used before getting
broadband? (Prompted)
Base: UK broadband
decision makers (Base: 191)
Ordinary phoneline
/ dial up access 84%
ISDN 6%
Other 2%
Didn’t have
Internet prior to getting broadband 7%
Don’t know 2%
And which of the
following best describes the type of package you used before getting
broadband? (Prompted)
Base: All
previously using PSTN Internet access (Base: 159)
Pay as you go 22%
Partly unmetered 42%
Fully unmetered 34%
Don’t know
3%
And before getting
broadband, did you have more than one fixed line enabling the phone
to be used at the same time as the Internet?
Base: All previously using PSTN Internet access (Base: 159)
Yes 36%
No 64%
What benefits of
broadband have you noticed compared to your previous Internet service?
(Unprompted)
Base: All
previously used a different connection method (Base: 174)
Faster speed 87%
Simultaneous
use of phone/ Internet 30%
Always on/
don’t have to dial up 30%
Better quality/
more accessible content 14%
Other benefits 10%
No obvious
benefits/ not sure 4%
And which three
of the following features of broadband do you value most? (Prompted)
Base: UK broadband
decision makers (Base: 191)
Faster speed 88%
Always on/
don’t have to dial up 67%
Simultaneous
use of phone/ Internet 45%
Better quality/
more accessible content 36%
Better interactivity
13%
More ecommerce
opportunities 10%
Increased
content 7%
Internet radio
6%
Summary of
any content mentioned 59%
