Policy & Research
Communications
The internet has developed over the last decade to become an integral part of how we work, shop, communicate and entertain ourselves. For people who use it, the internet is as important as the television or telephone, it has even been referred to by some experts as an ‘essential technology’. Nearly two thirds of adults in Wales use the internet, with 94% of household connections being broadband. Mobile phone ownership has reached 88% of the Welsh population.
Our research shows that nearly a third (31%) of adults in Wales do not currently use the internet. These people tend to be:
- People on a lower income
- Older people
- People living in rural and some urban parts of Wales
Consumer Focus Wales works hard to represent the interest of consumers in the area of information technology. This includes working to influence:
- the Welsh Assembly Government, regulators and industry for greater broadband coverage across not-spots in Wales
- for better quality broadband connections that are quicker and more reliable
- the Welsh Assembly Government, Ofcom and industry to speed up 3G roll out across Wales
Latest News
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Capital City surfers are most confident online buyers
11 December 2009
Web surfers in Cardiff and South East are the most confident in Wales when it comes to buying online – that’s the conclusion from a survey carried out by Consumer Focus Wales. Almost eight out of ten on-line shoppers in the region felt they knew their rights when it comes to internet shopping – compared to less than seven out of ten across the rest of Wales.
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Digital decade is leaving vulnerable consumers locked out
20 November 2009
“As public services look to deliver services over the internet as a way to cut their costs, we have to ensure that those who need them are not forgotten. The very people most likely to need support – the elderly, the poorest in our society and those in remote rural areas - are the least likely to be able to access support online.”
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Aerial installers sending out mixed signals
18 August 2009
Consumer Focus Wales has warned aerial installers in Wales they must improve the level of information they supply to customers on the Digital Switchover.
more news: communications
Latest Publications
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Logged in or locked out?
1 November 2009
These consumers pose a number of communication and delivery challenges for service providers. It is becoming increasingly important to consider the needs of internet users and non-users in service delivery to make sure that people who don’t go online don’t miss out on services they are entitled to or would need to know about. The [...]
more publications: communications