The survey found that phone and internet habits are fuelling rows across the country. Nearly half of people (45%) said they’ve been asked to stop scrolling on social media, while a third (31%) were told to stop checking work emails and messages outside office hours. Almost 3 in 10 (29%) admitted they’d been nagged not to use their phone at the dinner table.
It’s not just children being told off, either – one in 10 parents confessed their own kids had told them to put their phones down.
But while screen time sparks plenty of family friction, slow internet connections are also a big cause of tension. More than a third of households said sluggish speeds trigger frustration, and a quarter believe faster, more reliable broadband would cut down on arguments altogether.
Openreach – the company responsible for building and maintaining most of the UK’s broadband network – says upgrading could help reduce the stress. Deputy CEO Katie Milligan summed it up: “Slow internet is the modern-day mood killer. Whether it’s buffering on family movie night or fighting for bandwidth while everyone’s online, Full Fibre helps households get what they need without the drama.”
With most UK towns and cities now seeing strong fibre coverage, compare broadband packages by speed, price and contract length using our postcode checker to find a deal that fits your household best.
