How much of a necessity is Internet access to your life? If the results of a new government-backed survey in the UK are to be believed, then it’s almost as important as the very basics of life such as air, oxygen, and food.

The Internet is an essential to my life: I work, rest, and play on the Web. Without it I would actually have to take part in what some people call a real life, meeting real people and communicating via mediums not controlled by electricity. Life without Broadband Internet access is a scary prospect to me, and it seems I’m not alone.

A survey was recently commissioned in the UK by Plusnet, and conducted by YouGov. It shows that the majority of British consumers would rather give up a whole host of luxuries before giving up their valuable Web connection. This is despite the global recession and credit crunch meaning the average consumer now has less money to spend on luxuries than they once did.

The survey actually found that Broadband is now considered as more of a necessity than a luxury. According to the Daily Express, 92% of Britons would do almost anything to keep their Internet connection, while 58% wanted to stay with their current ISP.

14% would give eating out or ordering takeaway to keep their Broadband, while 12% would forego trips to the cinema. 30% said they would rather give up smoking and drinking than have their Internet access taken away from them. Plusnet Products Director Neil Armstrong said:

Broadband is now so popular and central to the daily life of Britain that few consumers are ready to end their internet connection completely to make ends meet. Some are ready to switch suppliers to help with their household budgets but they still want to keep broadband.

In fact, millions of people are using the power of the web to shop smartly and hunt down better-value goods and services.

That last part is important, as many people are seeing the Web as a good way of actually saving money. Shopping online can save money on petrol and enable consumers to get products at a cheaper price than they otherwise could. Paying bills online can bring discounts, while using one of the many price comparison websites can help keep utility bills to a minimum.

It’s clear that the Internet is now seen as a necessity rather than a luxury by the majority of Brits. Whether that’s a good thing depends on your point of view. As someone who has embraced the technology, I think the Web can only do more good than harm.

Related:

Entry was posted on Tuesday, August 5th, 2008 at 4:47 pm under Internet, Opinion.

Read more entries by Dave Parrack.
Stumble It!