A recent report that looked at the close connection people have with their broadband technology has shown how important staying online can be, one expert has suggested.

Virgin Media revealed around two thirds of the UK population say they like to have access to the web at all times and 35 per cent of respondents admit to feeling stressed when they are not.

A spokeswoman for Stuff Magazine, a lifestyle publication that focuses on gifts and gadget through news, reviews and opinion, said there has been a big shift in public attitudes to such facilities.

Zara Rabinowicz, a technology expert at the resource, said in the past, consumers have been used to having family and friends that lived close by - but a more global network of contacts means people are increasingly reliant on the internet.

"Products like mobiles and laptops [have] become lifelines to the outside world - whether it's a chat to your mum or an update on a Facebook page. When this gets cut off, withdrawal symptoms quickly occur, similar to the panic found when out of mobile range," she added.

The Virgin Media study also showed that two-thirds of people in Britain are more relaxed when in the presence of a broadband connection than when they are not.

It was found 36 per cent of respondents experience anxiety when unable to access their gadgets for speaking to friends and family, while 31 per cent admitted they are anxious about not having the ability to earn money or work in the absence of web facilities.

Categories: Broadband, Virgin Media

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