Telecommunications Spending High Despite Recession Say Offcom

Ofcom research has shown that Britain is showing little indication of reducing its technology spending, despite the ongoing economic recession. However we are getting wiser in the ways we spend on telecommunications.

From the survey, research has found that 47 percent of respondents said they would reduce meals out and 41 percent would lower there holidays spending, compared to a low er19 percent who would choose to reduce their mobile phone spend, a smaller 10 percent who would actively seek to lower their broadband spend, 16 percent would cut back on TV subscriptions

Before mobile networks, TV firms and ISPs can get excited, they need to realise although most of us claim we have no intention of cutting our telecommunications spending, we have actually dropped our spending in real terms.

This is due to the fact that we are getting better at taking advantage of bundle deals and combining all our outgoings into a single monthly payment that includes TV, phone and broadband deals. These Bundle deals have seen a seven percent year-on-year rise.

Peter Phillips, with the full title of Ofcom Partner, Strategy & Market Developments said: “Despite the recession, people are spending more time watching TV, using their mobile phone or accessing the internet.” This means despite lower spending we are actually using our telecommunications even more than ever before. This is probably because we see telecommunications as a low cost alternative to more costly forms of entertainment.

“As well as getting better deals we are demanding more control,” said Peter Philips “Over 25 per cent of households now use a digital TV recorder to watch programmes at a time that suits us, and 23 per cent use online catch up services like the BBC iPlayer.”

Although no figures have been released by Offcom regarding the purchasing of telecommunications hardware, but sales of DEC phones, headsets, handsets and mobile phones remains buoyant despite the current economic downturn says both retailers and distributors.

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