Brits typically waste 35 hours a year – waiting for slow internet to load, figures show

Brits waste an average of 35 hours each year – waiting for slow internet to load or buffer, a study has found. And those in the capital city have it worst, as Londoners typically lose 42 hours each year waiting to view web pages or videos.

Lagging broadband speeds eat into around 23 minutes of their personal time each week – rising even further to 25 minutes, when they are using the internet for work.

Those in the North West of England are also above the national average, spending 39 hours annually waiting for slow broadband, both at home and at work.

Meanwhile, web surfers in the West Midlands lose around 35 hours a year – the same amount of time wasted across the UK as a whole.

The research was commissioned by G.Network, to launch its initiative covering up to £150 of early termination fees for new customers.

Kevin Murphy, CEO of the London-only internet provider, said: “There are a number of obstacles that mean Londoners are struggling with poor internet, despite good infrastructure being available in the city.

“Part of the issue is that it can be daunting to switch suppliers when you’re tied into a contract – and often, people will just decide to see it through to the end.”

It comes after a separate survey, of 2,560 Londoners, found one in three are actively looking to ditch their internet provider at the next opportunity. For 36% of these, their biggest cause for concern is the high prices they are facing.