Connectivity key for young brits in 2022, latest EE research says

EE has revealed that reliable internet connectivity is a top priority for young Brits when it comes to spending over the next 12 months.

This is based on research from the network operator and Opinium that indicated almost three quarters (74%) of 2000 UK adults under 25 said reliable broadband and connectivity is a top priority for 2022.

Only 2% said they could cope without having reliable working internet at home with 47% saying they expect to rely more on the internet in 2022 than they did in 2021. This is in part due to the fact that more young adults will be working from home as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

One in five (20%) of those surveyed said that being able to get online without fuss was the most important thing when choosing a house – ahead of living near good schools, green spaces and a low crime rate.

Sharon Meadows, director of propositions at EE said: “It’s clear that connectivity is more important than ever before. “A reliable connection both at home and on the go is essential for young adults. Being able to get online quickly, without hassle is one of the most important factors in how they live their lives which is what customers get with EE’s Full Fibre, 4G and 5G mobile plans.”

Reliabilty is key

Reliability was seen as the most important consideration for UK customers when choosing an internet provider (45%) ahead of speed (33%), trusted brand (12%), and type of connection (11%). Only 3% of the respondents said positive reviews of the network brand were key to their decision-making process.

This research comes as EE continues to expand its 5G network in the UK while continuing to simultaneously upgrade its 4G network. EE currently offers average 5G network speeds of 149.9Mbps and 4G speeds of 36.4Mbps according to Opensignal tests.

5G availability

And according to the latest results from benchmarking firm RootMetrics, EE’s 5G network tends to deliver the strongest availability and performance across most cities including Manchester, Glasgow, and London when compared with other networks.

EE recorded the best 5G availability in three out of six cities, but Vodafone beat them to first place in Liverpool, Bristol and Cardiff.

Despite that, all EE download speeds recorded above 100Mbps on 5G.