To ask if you’d find it difficult without home internet/Broadband?

[June16th]

I’ve not got home internet. Just Smartphone with VERY limited data. I’m just curious for people’s opinions on this

I would miss it enormously and I'm of an age where I grew up before home computers were even a thing.

We were recently without for 5 weeks and I thought I'd be pulling my hair out as we have a 4 year old but it was surprisingly fine!

We did lots of other activities to keep busy and allowed a couple episodes of bluey on our phones every day and got by no problem

I think that makes you very unusual given you're only 51 years old.

Impossible. H and I both WFH, me full time, him most days and constantly on Teams calls. We have two teens who game or stream stuff seemingly round the clock. We all enjoy Netflix and other TV services.

I see someone claiming that they do it all via 4G. That would not be possible here. When we have used it as backup when Wi-Fi has gone down, it is painfully slow and breaks up all the time.

I think apart from the gaming you not having done any if these things makes you very unusual for someone of 51.

yes when I work from my hotspot it’s not great for things like teams calls

Tbh, I’m more comfortable circa 1985, so let’s all go back there ! 😀

To be honest - I’ve used YouTube a lot and used BBC iPlayer and it’s ITV and Channel 5 equivalents - but I haven’t streamed any TV for at least a year - but I have YouTubed a lot of TV - so that counts as streaming

DH and I have both wfh for many years. We would lose our jobs.

Our television is internet based. It is difficult to get access any other way where we live.

aside from those things, no, we would not be happy with extremely limited internet access. I rely on online shopping to accommodate my disability. I also just enjoy the convenience.

Presently, yes. I spent Covid working on mobile hotspot, but where I am now, I need WiFi to even use my mobile indoors.
Phone signal is shit.

I had no internet for 3 months last year due to issues changing to a new provider and it was definitely a struggle for the kids having no smart tv/Netflix just patchy freeview through the arial. I didn’t struggle too much as I didn’t wfh and had any smartphone but the kids would have to hotspot off my phone to do their homework which caused a lot of problems!

I too couldn't live without it but my mum does and she uses a dummy phone 😱.
I only live up the road from her if there are companies that insist you access their services online .
It's just as well, because I reckon she would be on the gambling sites , up to her ponytail in debt.

We have fast fibre , my husband wfh full time and is online 90% of his working day . Myself and my daughter also use it a lot so wouldn’t be without it .

I need it for work.

I went through this when I switched internet providers during lockdown and the engineer dates were messed up so we ended up without internet for 2 months.

We struggled hugely because much of our lives and activities revolved around the internet. We had stopped buying physical games, music, movies it was all online and what we had at home seemed so dated and dull in comparison to the amazing offers online.

We hadn't invested in our 'offline' life and what we liked doing involved going out which we couldn't do during Lockdown. Back garden was a horrible, noisy dusty place with neighbours' huge building project going ahead in lockdown and local parks full of people.

Lockdown definitely didn't help as I would have just gone to the local library or a cafe with internet.

I think if you're rich, you can afford to have a library of books and films, home gym, swimming pool, arts room or whatever activities to entertain the kids so going without internet is probably less daunty than someone in a small accommodation maybe without family nearby and limited space for physical things and hobbies.

Tbh I think Internet access is basically a utility now, obviously not as important as energy/water, but not that much behind.

Actually I forgot but we have Sky stream as well so we need it for that .

I agree - it’s made things slightly inconvenient at my gym because it’s App only entry which I can’t download!

Thinking about my comment about the rich, obviously if you're so rich you have staff and security at home but 'average rich' or just average, security camera, Ring etc all need internet. So it can be a safety issue these days to not have home wifi.

if it suits you @June16th fair enough.

I'd rather pay for broadband than the license fee tbh

I can't even bear holidays where the internet signal is going to be weak and I don't work it's just to use MN and check local weather😂

I work from home full time and I haven't had broadband/WiFi for the last three years. I live alone. I do tons of zoom calls and spend most of my time online tbh. I am on a 100GB per month contract costing £12. Until very recently this has been enough, but now I seem to be going above for that for some strange reason.

I admire your Mum tbh for coping without it - I struggle sometimes as I can’t download apps in my phone age I need to go to libraries just to send/check emails ! Or places with public WiFi!

Blimey. The way you live your life in terms of Internet access or lack of it is like someone more of 91 than 51. I’m 51 too. My parents are late 70s and use the internet for most things too.

Yes you’re probably right.

By the way us 1972/73 babies are the best 😆💪