A survey of over 2,000 UK consumers, carried out by professional network testing company RootMetrics reveals that 54% of Britons would be put off buying a home if we knew mobile coverage at the property was poor.
In addition, 46% would be reticent to rent a property in such circumstances.
64% of Brits have experienced recurring problems with mobile phone service at a house they have lived at. Of that group, 86% have experienced issues with signal strength, 44% with call quality and 32% have had problems with slow mobile internet.
“The findings clearly show that mobile phone coverage can have an impact on house buyers and renters,” says RootMetrics CEO and President Bill Moore. “While there are obviously more important considerations when it comes to weighing the pros and cons of a house move, there’s no doubt that mobile phone coverage is becoming a factor in the decision making process.”
Lawrence Hall of property website Zoopla.co.uk said: “Knowing what the mobile service might be like at a property is useful additional information for the buyer, seller, renter or landlord. At the end of the day, mobile phone coverage will not be the deciding factor on a dream home, but having advance knowledge of coverage by operator is extremely helpful.”
The study also found that over 80% of us would think about changing mobile phone company due to poor coverage at a property they were thinking of renting or buying. Over 70% have thought about changing provider while at their current home.
The findings come at a time when mobile is starting to replace fixed line in the home. Research from Ofcom in July 2012 shows that calls from landlines have fallen more than 10% since 2011 and by the end of the year, 15% of homes in the UK will be mobile only. More recently, a study by research company fast.MAP revealed that 37% of UK consumers would be willing to give up their landlines.