The improved coverage and faster speeds afforded by 4G don’t appear to be reducing mobile users’ affection for Wi-Fi, with two thirds of LTE users ready to switch operator if they could receive a tariff that included access to a public Wi-Fi network.
‘Public Wi-Fi in a 4G World’, a report commissioned by Arqiva and carried out by Analysys Mason, found that three quarters of 4G subscribers still use public hotspots and that if anything, LTE users place a higher monetary value on Wi-Fi.
Some of the 2,000 respondents said they would like their monthly data allowance to cover both types of network, with many users wanting a combination of the reduced battery usage and indoor coverage of Wi-Fi and the increasingly ubiquitous coverage of LTE.
“The research shows that consumers see public WiFi networks as a complement to cellular connectivity,” added Tom Rebbeck, research director at Analysys Mason. “The move to 4G doesn’t seem to reduce the demand for public Wi-Fi access – it may even reinforce the demand for high speed networks of all types.”
Indeed, 59 percent viewed mobile operators as the most obvious provider of public Wi-Fi, suggesting that an operator with a wireless footprint could have a major advantage in tempting customers away from rivals. BT for example operates a nationwide network of hotspots and is in the process of acquiring EE, raising the possibility that EE customers might gain access to BT Wi-Fi.
Virgin Media already offers free Wi-Fi to its mobile customers through The Cloud network of hotspots.
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In all honesty - I would prefer to stay on 4G all the time as I'm happy with the performance, but with the meagre data limits currently on offer the promise of high speed connectivity is tempered by the speed at which you will burn through your allowance. This is perhaps why demand for public WiFi remains high!