Do you actively try to find free WiFi when you are out and about? Do you even access it if it's available? We surveyed a staggering 2,540 people and our results were very interesting.
Demographics of our respondents
Respondents were almost equally split by gender, with just over half being male. The majority of respondents were from the UK, but we gathered data from over 30 countries.
Free WiFi means more customers and more revenue
Our findings confirmed that most customers appreciate free WiFi in the venues they visit, with 72% of respondents stating they use WiFi in public places. Of these, 78% actively look for and are more likely to visit a venue offering free WiFi. Three-quarters of WiFi users surveyed said they spend more time at a venue offering free WiFi, and two-thirds suggested they are likely to spend more money there.
Time flies when you are on free public WiFi
Just under half of public WiFi users access it at least once a week, and 18% use it more than once a day. The majority of respondents log on for up to 30 minutes at a time. 38% of users stay connected for between 30 minutes and an hour and a half. A further 7% report using it for over an hour and a half.
Primary usage includes checking emails, alongside browsing social media and websites.
Banking on the WiFi?
Worryingly, the data also indicated that 17% perform banking tasks via unsecured public WiFi. With 87% checking emails and 27% using public WiFi for work, there is a clear need for more secure public networks.
What do people want from public WiFi?
An easy login process was the top priority. Even those who do not currently use public WiFi cited this as the primary factor that would encourage them to do so.
The availability of free WiFi was a close second. The majority of respondents stated they would not pay for a higher bandwidth connection on public WiFi.
When deciding which network to connect to, 47% look for a recognised brand name. Most respondents also felt that content filtering should be a legal requirement.
Why people don't connect to public WiFi
The primary reason was that some people do not use mobile devices in public places. Of those who do, 27% (6% of all respondents) worried about network security. Others did not know how to use it or felt the registration process was too lengthy.
When asked about the benefits of connecting to WiFi, most respondents knew it is often free. However, two-thirds did not know it could block inappropriate content, and nearly 80% were unaware that venues can send vouchers and offers via the WiFi connection.
Public knowledge of how to access free WiFi is still lacking
Confusion about getting online persists. Purple WiFi's research reveals 66% of people are confused about getting online: 54% believe they connect automatically in a venue offering WiFi, 7% think they need to switch their device off and on again, and 5% admit they simply do not know how to access public WiFi.
It appears that whilst many people connect to WiFi when out and about, numerous individuals and businesses are not yet realising the true potential of public WiFi.
Purple WiFi are proud to resolve many of the key issues identified in the survey, offering easy social login, a secure guest WiFi network, and best-practice content filtering.
