Christmas lights, buffering fright: Four in five brits unaware christmas decorations could slow internet
Four in five (79%) Brits have no idea Christmas decorations or fairy lights could interrupt broadband signals and affect Wi-Fi speed[1]
The majority (89%) have never considered Wi-Fi interruptions when putting up their Christmas decorations[2]
With one in five (19%) expecting to receive a new gadget this festive season, chances of home Wi-Fi disruption are even higher[3]
Over a quarter (28%) say streaming Christmas films is what they look forward to most in the holidays[4]
Four in ten (40%) say a slow broadband speed would impact their enjoyment of Christmas[5]
Uswitch.com shares tips for improving your broadband connection this Christmas, while interior design expert Tara Slinger offers advice on how to arrange your decorations without a broadband blip
Four in five Brits (79%) – equating to 42 million people – are unaware that their Christmas decorations could interrupt their broadband signal in the home[1], according to new research from Uswitch.com, the comparison and switching service.
Classic Christmas decorations such as fairy lights, tinsel and even the tree can all impact broadband signals in the home, leading to lower speeds and disruption to the streaming of movies and other digital content. However, the majority (89%) of Brits don’t consider their Wi-Fi at all when decorating their homes for the festive season.[2]
Don’t let the baubles burst your bubble
Nearly one in five Brits (19%) are expecting to receive a Wi-Fi enabled device this Christmas[3]. This surge in connected gadgets, coupled with obstructive decorations, could limit bandwidth and interfere with broadband connections.
A solid internet connection has become a crucial part of Christmas festivities, and more than a third (34%) say they would rather have no decorations at all than poor Wi-Fi at this time of year[7]. In addition, four in ten (40%) agree that slow broadband speeds would impact their enjoyment of Christmas[5], and a quarter (25%) worry that it could even be the cause of a family argument.[8]
As more than a quarter (28%) of Brits say that streaming a Christmas film is what they look forward to most over the festive period [4] – with Home Alone (19%) and Elf (15%) coming up top as Britain’s favourites[6] – Uswitch is offering advice on how to avoid festive decorations getting in the way.
Richard Dowden, broadband expert at Uswitch.com comments: “It’s surely not the festive season without streaming your favourite Christmas film, so it’s good to be aware of the impact a piece of tinsel or fairy lights can have on your broadband.
“Pretty as they may be, the lights and tinsel could potentially slow down your connection speeds. You should keep them and other electronics such as lamps, speakers, TVs and monitors as far away from the router as possible.
“One-fifth of Brits are expecting to receive a Wi-Fi enabled gadget this Christmas, so now is the time to check that your connection is up to scratch and that nothing is in the way of your router. That way, you’ll be able to make the most of your new presents as soon as they’re unwrapped.”
Interior design expert Tara Slinger also adds her own advice on how to arrange festive decorations, commenting: “People don’t need to sacrifice stylish Christmas decor for Wi-Fi, or vice versa – they can have both by just bearing in mind a few simple things.
“Firstly, even tinsel can interfere with Wi-Fi speeds, so don’t cover your router in fairy lights and tinsel – try to blend it in amongst paper decorations or elf-sized cuteness. Secondly, make sure the tree itself isn’t blocking your router. It’s easier to move a router than a tree – so no problem if you’ve already placed your tree in the way!
“Finally, no matter how you choose to decorate, remember to inject a bit of personality – whether that’s going all out maximalist style like me, or a more minimalist approach. Enjoy your home this festive season AND don’t miss out on good WiFi signal!”
Richard shares his top tips for improving your broadband this Christmas:
Start by running a speed test to find out how fast your connection really is. If you have a minimum speed guarantee written into your contract, and it’s not being met, they have 30 days to resolve the problem or you can switch providers without paying early termination fees.
Be strategic when moving furniture around, as putting large items by your router can block your Wi-Fi signal and slow down your broadband speed. If you do need to make room for your tree, try moving it away from your router.
Other electrical devices in your home can interfere with your Wi-Fi connection. Even your fairy lights have the potential to slow down your connection speeds. You should keep them, and other electronics such as lamps, speakers, TVs and monitors, as far away from the router as possible.
If you suffer from poor Wi-Fi strength and need a quick fix, ask Father Christmas for a Wi-Fi extender to boost your signal. If you have a large house, thick walls, or a loft conversion, you may find parts of your home only get a weak signal or no connection at all. Plug in the extender at a halfway point between your router and the hard-to-reach areas and let it amplify the signal to all corners of your home.
However, if your router is in the same room as the device that uses a lot of data, such as Smart TVs, set-top boxes, or gaming consoles, connecting a network cable directly could be a cheaper option. This should provide a stable connection, perfect for Christmas Day streaming.
Compare the latest broadband deals on Uswitch.com.
ENDS
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Yolanda Etrata
Phone: 07702 534 837
Email: yolanda.etrata@uswitch.com
Twitter: @UswitchPR
Notes to editors:
Opinium surveyed a sample of 2,000 UK adults from 24th - 28th November 2023. Results have been weighted to be nationally representative.
Respondents were asked: ‘Do you understand the following to be true: ‘Seasonal decorations (including a Christmas tree) and fairy lights have the potential to interrupt broadband signals and affect Wi-Fi speed if you place them too close to your Wi-Fi router’. 21% responded that they believed this to be true, while 79% responded that this was false or they didn’t know. 79% of the adult population (53,188,000) is 42,045,114.
Respondents were asked: ‘Have you ever considered Wi-Fi interference when planning your seasonal decorations? (e.g. proximity of decoration or lights to the router, router interfering with decoration aesthetics, etc..). Of the 1,627 respondents that put up seasonal decorations, 11% responded yes, and 89% responded no.
Respondents were asked: ‘How far do you agree or disagree with the following statement: I am hoping to receive a new electronic device that requires Wi-Fi this festive season’. 19% agreed with this statement.
Respondents were asked: ‘How far do you agree or disagree with the following statement: Streaming Christmas films is what I look forward to the most about the holidays. 28% agreed with this statement.
Respondents were asked: ‘How far do you agree or disagree with the following statement: Experiencing a slow broadband speed would impact my enjoyment of Christmas’. 40% agreed with this statement.
Respondents were asked: ‘Which, if any, of the below festive films are you most looking forward to. Select a maximum of three options. The top five responses included Home Alone (19%), Elf (15%), Love Actually (13%), It’s a Wonderful Life (12%) and The Holiday (10%).
Respondents were asked: ‘How far do you agree or disagree with the following statement: I’d rather have no Christmas decorations than a poor Wi-Fi connection this festive season.’ 34% agreed with this statement.
Respondents were asked: ‘How far do you agree or disagree with the following statement: If we had slow internet over the festive season this could cause a family argument.’ 25% agreed with this statement.
About Uswitch
Uswitch is one of the UK’s top comparison websites for home services switching, including energy, broadband and mobiles.
More people go to Uswitch to switch their energy, broadband and mobile than any other site, and we have saved consumers over £2.7 billion off their bills since we launched in September 2000.
Free mobile app Utrack also helps households manage their home energy usage and make potential savings.
Uswitch is part of RVU, a group of online brands with a mission to empower consumers to make more confident home services, insurance and financial decisions.