British Attitudes To Technology - Key Findings

General Overview

• Main increases in technology usage since last year: mobile phones, the Internet and digital TV
• Increase in positive attitudes to mobile phones (especially social usage)
• Biggest change in home PC usage: increase in online activity (email, Internet searching and online banking and shopping)
• Most commonly used technology at home is still Teletext

Mobile Phones

• For the first time, social use of mobile phones exceeds business use (34% v. 28%)
• 50% of workers thought it was important to always be contactable
• When out and about, the mobile phone is the 2nd most popular communications tool after the public payphone (61% v. 43%) - use of payphones and hotel phones has dropped significantly
• Two out of five mobile phone users bought their first phone within the last 12 months 36% expect to change their mobile within the next 2 years
• Why do people value their mobiles?
  • 89%: peace of mind re: loved ones' safety
  • 68%: organising their social lives
  • 83%: own personal safety
  • 39%: to be more productive at work

PC/Internet

• Biggest change since last year: increase in online transactions - up from 17% to 24% - mainly used by men
• Significant rise in online transactions: 1 in 4 Internet users purchase products / services online (17% last year)
• Online usage at home has increased by 44% over the past year
• Among Internet users, 33% of men but only 8% of women conduct transactions over the Internet
• 52% of workers find it difficult to keep up to date with IT developments, 46% of all workers are worried that they are falling behind in skills and knowledge
• The most popular use of the Internet is for information searches (84%)
• 9% of Internet users are banking online (4% in 1998)
• Over two thirds of the British population would value electronic access to community information: local council services/events (30%), job ads (28%), details of college courses (27%)

Digital Technologies

• One in four associated digital with a type of TV
• Only 6% have never heard of digital TV, compared to 18% last year
• 25% of those who know a little about digital TV did not know the difference between digital and analogue TV
• Of those who know a little about digital TV, the top ranking perceived benefit was wider choice of programmes (54%) followed by better reception/picture quality (53%)

Future: Year 2009

• If technology were not a barrier:
  • 42% want instantaneous world travel / 10% believe this will be possible
  • 36% want a 2 hr workout in 20 minutes / 13% believe this will be possible
  • 31% want calorie free food / 18% believe this will be possible
  • 29% want an intelligent electronic assistant/ 33% believe this will be possible
• Most popular ideal electronic assistant would have the looks and personality of Carol Vorderman
• Most likely technology in the home of the future is voice activated equipment (66%) and wall size TVs in all rooms (48%)
• 63% want a self cleaning kitchen (68% women / 57% men)
• Over half want food specifically designed to meet their individual nutritional needs
• Two thirds want a maintenance free car
• Almost half would choose to visit exotic places in their dreams or learn while asleep

Male/Female Attitudes

• Men are more likely than women to feel the need to be contactable at all times (56% v. 42%)
• 32% of male Internet users v. 8% of female Internet users buy goods over the Internet
• 82% of male Internet users but only 57% of female Internet users were aware that you can make international calls over the Internet
• Men are more likely to want wall size TVs (27% v 13%) and showers that wash without using water (17% v 10%)
• If technology could enable you to choose a dream, 36% of men would play sport at top level (10% women), 23% men would have a partner of their choice (16% of women)
• 74% of men / 65% of women would like a shorter working day in the future

Electronic Assistant

Human Resources

• 35% of workers felt that working from home would be a practical option for them
• 35% of workers believed technology makes their work more enjoyable
• 63% of workers felt they had adequate IT training for their jobs
• 42% of all respondents fear that IT developments pose a threat to employment
• 1 in 10 believe IT developments have enabled them to work fewer hours/24% believe they are working more hours
• 71% wanted a shorter working day in the future, structured around a 24 hr business shift based on flexi-time (48%)

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