The True Importance of Reliable Internet at Home

It’s no secret that the internet has become essential these days. According to recent reports, at least 91 percent of homes in America now have internet, and 97 percent of businesses are equipped with it. Even households and businesses that don’t have established internet connections rely on their phone-based internet at times. Of course, all schools, hospitals, and government offices rely on the internet at this point. 

Understanding the Value of Reliability

Simply having an internet connection isn’t necessarily enough, though. Reliability is crucial. If your service isn’t reliable, there are times when you might as well not have any internet at all. While some people may think that’s a bit of an exaggeration, it’s much closer to the truth than many realize. Consider some of the reasons why reliable home internet is so important. 

Staying Connected

At the very least, people use their home internet to stay connected with friends, relatives, and the rest of the world. They rely on it to pay their bills, communicate with their employers when they’re away from work, shop for essentials, and schedule appointments. They also use the internet to find companies to help them take care of their homes, yards, and vehicles.

People use the internet to seek out answers to countless questions too. Many even connect their mobile devices to their home internet to avoid burning through their mobile data and having to pay overage fees. An unreliable internet connection can interfere with all those activities. 

Entertainment

People depend on their home internet for entertainment as well. From watching videos on their phones and laptops to streaming television shows instead of relying on cable or satellite, the internet is the key to keeping their minds occupied and allowing them to enjoy their time at home. Gaming also comes into play. Unlike the classic gaming systems of the 1980s, today’s consoles require internet connections even if users aren’t connecting with other players online. 

An unreliable internet connection can certainly detract from those experiences. Poor connections lead to lag, buffering, outages, and many other problems. Those issues may seem superficial to some people, but for those who are dealing with them, they’re extremely disruptive. 

Working From Home

Remote work has skyrocketed over the last few years. In fact, an estimated 15 percent of the American workforce now works from home either full or part time. That’s up from 4 percent just six years ago, and this figure is expected to continue to surge in the years to come. People who work from home need a reliable internet connection. Without it, they’re likely to experience a range of disruptions that interfere with their productivity, performance, and earning potential. 

Online School

Research show that the number of students attending school online is on the rise too. Millions of students, from elementary school to college, are now receiving their educations at home. With an unreliable internet connection, they can’t access their lessons or submit assignments. They can’t connect with their teachers or attend live lessons, either. Dealing with all those issues can detract from their educational experiences. It may even leave them ineligible to reap the benefits of distance learning altogether. 

Ensuring Your Internet Meets Your Needs

Almost everyone relies on the internet to at least some extent these days. Most of us don’t realize just how much we depend on it. Those who constantly deal with latency, outages, and other issues are well aware of just how disruptive they can be, though. Whether you use the internet for basic browsing and occasional entertainment or your entire family works from home and attends school online, having a reliable connection is crucial.