Seven people a minute in the UK change their broadband contract due to poor internet performance, new research has found.
The figures reveal how many UK households struggle with bad broadband service, a particular problem for those that work from home and rely on a good service to perform in their jobs.
Huge numbers of these workers suffer regular issues with their internet, leaving their employers, colleagues and customers frustrated.
The research by Airties, the technology company that commissioned the study, found that price was not the main driver of change.
In fact most ended up paying the same or more after switching, with nine in ten respondents in the report saying they would be prepared to pay £5 to £10 more for premium wi-fi quality.
Instead half of UK switchers (49%) said they left because of poor broadband experience, with many citing issues such as video freezing, slow browsing and unreliable video calls.
Airties, - whose software improves reliability of broadband in the home - revealed that 79 per cent of Britons suffer wifi problems at least once a month while seven per cent have issues weekly. The equivalent of 1.2 million people experience issues on a daily basis.
The report, The Hidden Cost of Broadband Churn: Avoidable Value Destruction, estimates churn costs operators £9 billion in lost revenue every year.
Metin Taskin, chief executive at Airties, said: ‘Churn isn’t an unavoidable cost of doing business, it’s a solvable problem.
“Our technology helps operators cut churn, reduce support costs, and deliver the reliable in-home performance customers expect.”
Britain’s army of home workers are regularly being let down by faulty internet connections and leading MPs have said the problem is so serious it is holding back economic growth.
MPs have called for home broadband to be improved as it is estimated nearly ten million Britons - over 25 per cent of the working population - describe themselves as hybrid workers, meaning that they split their time between home and the workplace, according to the Office for National Statistics.
A further five million people are thought to work exclusively at home.
Experts say that telecom providers have spent billions investing in fibre optic infrastructure but now the final hurdle is improving service inside customer’s homes.
Cat Eccles, Labour MP for Stourbridge, said: 'We all know the importance of wi-fi for our lives, but too often working people are let down by poor connectivity and infrastructure issues.
“It is unacceptable that so many are still plagued by internet problems.
“Fixing this must be a top priority for Labour as we seek to improve the UK's economic growth.”
Shaun Davies, Labour MP for Telford, added: “Residents and businesses across Telford have told me that our town’s mobile and broadband connectivity simply isn’t good enough.
“Reliable, high-quality connectivity and affordable access is not just about helping people stay in touch, it’s vital for economic growth and competitiveness and key to how we access public services.”
“Better connectivity will mean stronger businesses, greater opportunities and a more connected community for everyone who lives and works here.
