The NBN is giving the average customer almost $2000 in value per year, according to research by NBN Co and Accenture, as online entertainment – especially gaming – booms thanks to the pandemic.
The Accenture Consumer Value Report 2021 found that three in four NBN users relied on their connections for online entertainment during COVID-19. Streaming, social media, and gaming have all increased as users sought ways to keep themselves occupied at home.
Dr Andrew Charlton, Managing Director within Accenture Australia, says the NBN is a valuable tool for Australians’ essential needs.
“This research shows NBN customers on average derive $1,920 in value from their service every year, more than twice what they currently pay for their service.
“This equates to $15.7 billion in the total value that households derive from the network per annum,” he said.
Source: NBN Co/Accenture
Gamers in particular are leading the charge: one in seven NBN users cites gaming as one of their most important online activities, with the pandemic boosting the average time a user spends gaming online from 13 hours per week to 14. Additionally, around 14 per cent of users who upgraded their NBN plans over the past year did so to support online gaming.
According to Brad Whitcomb, Chief Customer Officer at NBN Co, the research backs up the NBN’s status as the main way Australians access the internet at home.
“We’re pleased that our customers have expressed that they see additional lifestyle value in the NBN-powered plans they are purchasing from phone and internet providers.
“We know that the NBN is the main way Australians access the internet at home, and this is backed up by ACCC data in this research, which shows that our network is powering 89 per cent of home broadband plans in Australia and carrying 88 per cent of Australia’s data downloads,” he said.
The research found gamers expect to increase the time they spend gaming online by up to 50 per cent per year to 2028.
