Telecommunications Spending High Despite Recession Say Offcom
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 start celebrating, although most of us say we have no intention of cutting our spending, we have actually cut 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 long 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 spending less we are actually using our telecommunications even more than ever before. Maybe this is it because we telecommunications as low cost alternatives to more costly forms of entertainment.
"As well as getting better deals we are demanding more control," says 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."
No figures were released by Offcom regarding the purchasing of telecommunications hardware, but sales of DEC phones, handsets, headsets and mobile phones remains strong despite the current economic downturn says both retailers and distributors.