Not having a broadband connection could be costing families in the economic downturn, new research has indicated.
A study by Post Office Broadband found that so-called "non-line" families could be losing out on monthly savings of up to £70 on household goods and services. The report defined "non-liners" as people who want to get online but are being held back from doing so, either through fear or a lack of tuition.
Many recent studies have revealed that broadband would be one of the things people would not give up if they found they had to constrict their budget. The fact that the internet offers price saving opportunities such as price comparison sites was hinted as a possible reason for the trend.
The Post Office research also found that 18 percent of non-internet-savvy people felt shunned by society because of their lack of online ability. But friends and family had been trying to help them get round this problem, with seven in ten people saying they had attempted to assist loved ones with the online world - although this would often end in arguments.
"Most people know a family member or close friend who uncertain about using the internet so teaching them how to get online is the perfect gift," said Stewart Fox-Mills, head of Post Office Broadband. "But as anyone who has tried to do this will testify, things can come unstuck when jargon and a basic lack of PC skills become insurmountable."
