Improving mobile 'connectivity confidence' could give UK workers back three weeks a year and boost the UK economy by billions

Date:
Tue, 18 Aug 2026 08:38:04 +0000

Description:
Boosting mobile connectivity could massively boost UK productivity, study finds.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter UK workers could unlock more than three weeks of unproductive time a year by embracing flexible working However many say they aren't confident in their mobile networks Boosting connectivity could lead to a potential 115 billion productivity boost to the UK economy Embracing flexible working could help give the British economy a major boost, and unlock productivity across the nation, new research has claimed.

A report from VodafoneThree says boosting "connectivity confidence" to work
on the go could help unlock more than three weeks of unproductive time a
year, leading to a potential 115 billion productivity boost to the UK
economy. However, the report noted this all depends on being more confident
in such mobile working, which can only happen if the UK's mobile networks are resilient and reliable enough. Latest Videos From TechRadar Watch full video here: No more wasted time The study, which surveyed 2,000 adults across the UK, found a third of Brits feel they are unable to leave their home or office Wi-Fi to get things done on-the-go, while almost half (46%) spend most of their working day at a desk.

Nearly half (43%) of those with a job said they would prioritise working on the move if they felt more confident in the quality of the UKs mobile networks, with accessing and collaborating on work documents, taking calls on commutes and joining remote NHS consultations from phones all named as big tame savers. You may like Your Wi-Fi could be holding you back from achieving success, report warns Hundreds of UK trains will finally get better Wi-Fi government promises to 'rocket boost connectivity' for travellers Work in 2026: the future of flexible tech

British workers said they wasted almost two hours a week being unproductive
on the commute, and over an hour sitting in waiting rooms and waiting to pick up children or dependents - wasted time which totals more than 10 hours a week, more than France, Germany, Spain, Australia, Singapore, Hungary and South Korea.

The lack of flexibility even extend into the weekend, as more than a third (34%) said their weekend to do list would be shorter if they could be more productive on the go, with booking all GP appointments through apps or their phones (23%), pay utility bills (27%) and book tickets on-the-go (16%) also named as tasks which could benefit from better connectivity. Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get
all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed! Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting
your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. Boosting the UKs productivity doesnt have to mean spending more hours behind our desks," noted Andrea Don, Chief Network
Officer at VodafoneThree. "But to change the way the nation works, we need mobile networks that keep us connected to colleagues, technology and
essential services on the move."

The UK Government is rightly taking this issue seriously. With improvements
to the planning system and regulations fit for the digital economy, our networks can help to make public services more accessible, close digital divides and lay the foundations for growth.

The survey comes as VodafoneThree looks to continue its rollout of a UK-wide 11 billion investment programme to help raise the speed and quality of connectivity across the country following its merger with Three in 2025 .

The company hopes this expansion will bring 5G Standalone coverage to 99% of the UK population by 2030, and 99.96% by 2034, helping millions of people to work, shop and access public services seamlessly. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/pro/improving-mobile-connectivity-confidence-could-g ive-uk-workers-back-three-weeks-a-year-and-boost-the-uk-economy-by-billions


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