- One in four adults cannot confide with confidence what Wi-Fi really means, the survey reveals
- Only about half of the British said with confidence that they understood what a VPN means
- Clear and jargon communication is extremely preferred by UK consumers
Technology shapes how people live their lives – however, many consumers do not understand the language used to describe their domestic connectivity, said new research.
A survey of British adults by Talktalk claims that three-quarters claim to understand “Wi-Fi”, almost a quarter remains vague on its meaning.
When they were asked what word they use for domestic connectivity, a third of the respondents said “Wi-Fi”, slightly ahead of “Internet” and “broadband”.
Favorite terminology and confusion between services
Much less selected “wireless” or more informal like “T’Int Internet” to describe domestic connectivity.
Despite the telecommunications companies that always push the broadband brand image, the use of the public indicates an evolution towards daily terms that feel familiar.
However, this preference does not always result in a precise understanding.
Many still mix high speed, the wired service entering the property, with Wi-Fi, the wireless signal distributed inside the house by a router.
Some even believe that the two terms are identical or that broadband is simply an older name for Wi-Fi.
By noting participants’ confidence with various networking terms, 76% said they understood “Wi-Fi”, but trust decreases when the language becomes more technical.
Only half declared knowing what “fiber” means, even if the service providers strongly announce broadband fiber.
Terms like “IP address”, “LAN” and “FTTP” have ranked much lower, with familiarity with a figure for certain entries.
This knowledge gap extends to safety tools, because a little more than half said they understand VPNs, even if the best VPNs are still on our screens.
Despite several advertisements on the best VPN for the United Kingdom, many British barely know something other than the basic functions of VPNs.
Consumers do not take the blame for the knowledge gap; Instead, they said that telecommunications companies should use simple and jargon -free language to facilitate understanding.
Almost nine out of ten highlighted the need for clear communication, while 62% admitted that the jargon can leave them confused or outdated.
More than half has said that complex terminology makes information related to technology difficult to understand.
Talktalk’s leadership has recognized the problem, suggesting that industry has not followed the pace of how consumers speak.
“Wi-Fi is a must in all our homes, but as an industry, we have not followed the moments when we speak to our customers,” said Steve Wallage, the director, the experience and the proposals of Talktalk.
Providers to strengthen confidence may need to rethink their language, focus less on technical specifications and more on practical clarity.
“Our latest research tells us that people prefer to communicate in the same way that they speak, without a jargon, and our industry should reflect this,” added Wallage.
If the industry does not align with consumers, companies will continue to say one thing while users interpret something completely different.
