Broadband is recession-proof says research report

The research was commissioned by Alcatel Lucent and carried out by in cooperation with market research firms Penn, Schoen & Berland Associates and Ipsos MediaCT as part of an ongoing global study that is examining the global impact our straitened economic times is having on the provision and usage of telecoms services  and the role broadband services can play in promoting global economic growth and social welfare.

The research uses sophisticated statistical analysis tools to determine how consumers prioritise household spending during a recession by comparing the relative value of a wide variety of specific fee-based services.
 
The results support widespread and oft-quoted anecdotal evidence that broadband services are essentially recession-proof, with 84 per cent of consumers saying that broadband is "an essential network service" and the last thing to be considered during times of enforced belt-tightening.

The research also shows that even though times are tough, consumers around the world have plans to upgrade their broadband services even as they are cutting discretionary spending in other areas.

Interesting, given the background against which the research is being conducted, key factors driving this preference include a desire to reduce the cost and travel time associated with commuting coupled with a marked and preference for greener alternatives.

Tim Krause, Alcatel Lucent's Chief Marketing Officer says, “This [research] clearly shows that people across the world rely on broadband services as a central part of their social and economic lives.