Wi-Fi is one of the most useful and addictive inventions in the history of humankind. Almost every electronic device today has Wi-Fi capability. However, one of its drawbacks is our dependency on it. It is like cocaine; a few hours without it and people’s eyes start twitching and they start scratching themselves as if they are itching badly. Anyone who values spending time online has at one point or another dealt with an annoying internet connection. Well, let’s look at just how crazy a slow internet can make people.
Lost Bids
This applies to anyone who has ever been involved in an online business transaction. Imagine you are on eBay, trying to place a bid on a rare item that you just found after months of searching. People have placed their bids and you’re trying to see just how high they will set their prices. Like a feline, you are just there, in front of your computer, patiently waiting for the perfect time to place your bid. You keep refreshing your page, refresh, refresh, refresh, refr…the page doesn’t refresh. It is loading. It keeps loading. Ten seconds have passed. 30 seconds, 1 minute. It loads, but the final bid was placed and the item is sold. If only the page had loaded a minute ago, or even 30sec ago. How annoying is that?
Buffering … Streaming … Buffering … Streaming …
When streaming videos, everyone likes smooth streaming. You press play and the video starts. You expect it to stop once it is over, or when you press stop or pause. According to a study by Ericsson, when people stream videos over slow internet such that the video keeps buffering willy-nilly, they get the same stress level as watching a horror movie. You know the way your heart starts racing when you watch horror not sure what will happen next, that’s the same effect slow Wi-Fi has on people. Streaming videos that keep buffering online is the most annoying thing about slow Wi-Fi because you want to enjoy your content instantly, right now! That’s why you are streaming!
Slow Downloads
Slow downloads come next because you are downloading something to consume offline. However, when the ETA is an insanely long period and the internet speed is painfully slow, the experience is just unbearable. A friend of mine can’t stand slow internet. He says that he would rather have no Wi-Fi at all, than deal with a slow Wi-Fi connection. It is one of those times you just switch things off and leave for another activity; assuming you did not smash anything while throwing your tantrum. Moments like this make you think about how to test your Wi-Fi speed because you can’t believe how slow the connection is.
Frustrated Remote Workers
We live in an error of freelancers. In fact, I think everyone would like to be a freelancer because of the laid-back lifestyle. However, one of the things guys like me hate is slow Wi-Fi. Earlier, I gave the example of placing bids on eBay. A similar example involves freelancers who work in online companies that involve bids. With a slow internet, you can imagine the kind of frustration these productive members of the society have to deal with. Working online means doing research, interacting with clients, and submitting finished work. Slow internet can cost a freelancer very important deals, especially if deadlines have to be met.
Total Disconnection from the Internet
The third most annoying thing about slow Wi-Fi is total disconnection from the internet. 83% of electronics today have Wi-Fi connectivity and a good portion of them rely on that connection to be useful to their beholders. Many people won’t be able to use their phones without Wi-Fi. In fact, Google determined that Wi-Fi is so important that it is organizing a project to make it available on every inch of this planet. Furthermore, people have determined that Wi-Fi is so important that they consider it a basic need, don’t you? Now imagine a day without Wi-Fi.
