{"id":11632,"date":"2026-10-23T01:27:35","date_gmt":"2026-10-23T00:27:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/comparebroadbandpackages.co.uk\/guides\/news\/sorry-my-wi-fi-is-playing-up-the-excuse-used-to-avoid-video-on-calls\/"},"modified":"2026-10-23T01:27:35","modified_gmt":"2026-10-23T00:27:35","slug":"sorry-my-wi-fi-is-playing-up-the-excuse-used-to-avoid-video-on-calls","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/comparebroadbandpackages.co.uk\/guides\/news\/wi-fi-playing-excuse-avoid-video-calls\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cSorry my Wi-Fi is playing up\u2026\u201d \u2014 the excuse used to avoid video on calls"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/comparebroadbandpackages.co.uk\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1067 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/comparebroadbandpackages.co.uk\/guides\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/728x282-border.png\" alt=\"Click To Compare Broadband Deals\" width=\"728\" height=\"282\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_%E2%80%9CSorry_My_Wi-Fi_Is_playing_Up%E2%80%A6%E2%80%9D_Has_Become_the_Go-To_Excuse_for_Avoiding_Video_Calls\"><\/span>Why &#x201C;Sorry, My Wi-Fi Is playing Up&#x2026;&#x201D; Has Become the Go-To Excuse for Avoiding Video Calls<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>In &zwnj;recent years,&#8292; the &#8292;phrase&#8203; &ldquo;Sorry, my <a class=\"glossaryLink\"  aria-describedby=\"tt\"  data-cmtooltip=\"cmtt_fec65dd0c2d0139e688550c76ecd13cd\"  href=\"https:\/\/comparebroadbandpackages.co.uk\/guides\/glossary\/wi-fi\/\"  target=\"_blank\"  data-mobile-support=\"0\"  data-gt-translate-attributes='[{\"attribute\":\"data-cmtooltip\", \"format\":\"html\"}]' tabindex='0' role='link'>Wi-Fi<\/a> is playing up&hellip;&rdquo;&zwj; has become a common refrain in the virtual &zwnj;dialog landscape, notably among UK consumers. As remote work and online meetings proliferate, this excuse &#8203;has emerged as a convenient &#8291;way to sidestep video calls. But what does this trend&#8290; reveal about the state of broadband in the UK, and how does it impact both consumers and service providers?<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Shifting_Dynamics_of_Remote_communication\"><\/span>Shifting Dynamics of Remote communication<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The increase in remote work has necessitated video communication tools such&zwnj; as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet. Though, a survey &#8203;by &#8203;Ofcom revealed that 44% of people in &#8203;the UK still experience <a class=\"glossaryLink\"  aria-describedby=\"tt\"  data-cmtooltip=\"cmtt_4ab868bd8c3416c0a3eec97c6c6d6744\"  href=\"https:\/\/comparebroadbandpackages.co.uk\/guides\/glossary\/connectivity\/\"  target=\"_blank\"  data-mobile-support=\"0\"  data-gt-translate-attributes='[{\"attribute\":\"data-cmtooltip\", \"format\":\"html\"}]' tabindex='0' role='link'>connectivity<\/a> issues during video calls. This statistic &zwnj;illustrates not only the limitations of current broadband &#8292;infrastructure but also &#8290;sheds light &#8203;on&#8291; the psychological &#8203;barrier that&#8291; many face when it comes &#8290;to video engagement.<\/p>\n<p>in comparison, competitors in the European market, such as Germany,&#x200B; have made meaningful strides in improving internet infrastructure.Germany&#x2019;s investment in fibre-optic networks has &#x200D;led to a 25% increase&#x200C; in average broadband speeds compared to the UK. This disparity affects how UK &#x2063;users perceive &#x2064;their connectivity capabilities, ultimately driving them to default to excuses rather then&#x2062; face the reality of subpar service.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Societal_Impact_of_Poor_connectivity\"><\/span>The Societal Impact of Poor connectivity<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>As more users retreat behind &#x200B;their excuses,&#x200C; it&#x2062; raises questions about the broader implications of inadequate broadband services. With the rise&#x2063; of &#x2062;hybrid working models, the expectation is that video calls will enhance connectivity and collaboration.Though,&#x2062; when&#x200D; a significant &#x2062;portion of the population resorts&#x200B; to the &#x201C;Wi-Fi excuse,&#x201D;&#x200C; it&#x200D; highlights a growing disconnect between &#x200D;expectations &#x2062;and reality. Additionally, this trend may hinder &#x2064;professional relationships and impede productivity, creating an environment where collaboration becomes increasingly difficult.<\/p>\n<ul><p><\/p>\n<li><strong>Increased Reliance on &#x2063;Voice Calls:<\/strong> Users may&#x2062; shift towards voice calls to avoid technical issues, which can&#x200B; reduce clarity and context in conversations.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li><strong>Impact&#x200D; on Team Dynamics:<\/strong> Teams may struggle to build &#x200D;rapport and trust when video communication is &#x2062;sporadically avoided.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li><strong>missed Opportunities for &#x2064;Engagement:<\/strong> Brands &#x2064;may find it harder to connect with their audience if customers opt out of visual &#x200D;interactions.<\/li>\n<p>\n<\/p><\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Market_%E2%81%A2Trends_and_%E2%80%8BConsumer_Preferences\"><\/span>Market &#x2062;Trends and &#x200B;Consumer Preferences<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The current&#x2064; landscape shows a significant push for &#x2064;higher-quality broadband services. The UK&#x2019;s government has committed to delivering gigabit-capable internet to 85% of the&#x200B; population by 2025, a&#x2063; move&#x2063; that is expected to mitigate many of&#x2062; the connectivity issues currently faced. Though,as of now,only 24% of homes can &#x200C;access these higher speeds. &#x200C;This gap between promise and delivery&#x2062; fosters frustration among consumers, who may feel compelled to make &#x2064;excuses to&#x2062; avoid the embarrassment of &#x200D;poor video quality or dropped connections.<\/p>\n<p>Compared to&#x200C; the UK&#x2019;s struggling broadband infrastructure, countries like Sweden, where over 95% of households have access &#x2062;to high-speed internet, are &#x200B;reaping the &#x200C;benefits of seamless video communication. Such disparities not&#x200B; only affect day-to-day&#x2062; communication but also influence the competitive&#x200D; landscape, with UK &#x200C;providers facing growing pressure to invest in their networks.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Providers_Are_Responding\"><\/span>How Providers Are Responding<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>In&#x200D; response to the increasing reliance &#x2064;on excuses for avoiding video calls, broadband providers in the UK are ramping up their marketing efforts to emphasise the reliability of their services. &#x200D;Companies&#x2064; such as BT and Virgin Media are offering incentives for customers to upgrade &#x2063;to&#x200D; higher-speed packages, focusing on delivering better performance for &#x200D;remote work and video conferencing. Initiatives like Openreach&#x2019;s &#x201C;Fibre First&#x201D;&#x2064; program aim &#x200C;to&#x200C; expand fibre networks, ensuring more households&#x2064; can access faster broadband.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, the rise &#x200D;of self-help resources &#x2062;and &#x200D;customer &#x2062;support initiatives indicates a shift towards more proactive engagement. Providers &#x200B;are now investing in user education, providing tips for optimising home networks and troubleshooting common issues.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Market_Implications\"><\/span>Market Implications<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>the phrase &ldquo;Sorry,&#8292; my Wi-Fi is playing &zwj;up&hellip;&rdquo; is more than just a simple excuse; it &#8291;signifies a deeper issue within the UK&rsquo;s broadband landscape. For consumers,&#8203; this trend &#8292;underscores the urgent need for improved&#8291; connectivity and the importance of &#8290;choosing the right service provider. The&#8292; embarrassment of <a class=\"glossaryLink\"  aria-describedby=\"tt\"  data-cmtooltip=\"cmtt_4ab868bd8c3416c0a3eec97c6c6d6744\"  href=\"https:\/\/comparebroadbandpackages.co.uk\/guides\/glossary\/connectivity\/\"  target=\"_blank\"  data-mobile-support=\"0\"  data-gt-translate-attributes='[{\"attribute\":\"data-cmtooltip\", \"format\":\"html\"}]' tabindex='0' role='link'>connectivity<\/a> problems can push users to demand better service, propelling providers to innovate and invest in their networks.<\/p>\n<p>In&#x2064; the short term, providers may face challenges as consumers become more discerning &#x2063;in their choices. In the long term, though, &#x200B;these &#x200B;pressures could lead to significant advancements in UK broadband &#x200B;capabilities, making high-speed internet &#x2063;a&#x2063; reality for more households. As competition &#x2064;heats up, we can&#x2062; expect to &#x200D;see a market that increasingly prioritises quality and reliability,&#x2063; ultimately&#x200B; benefiting consumers.<\/p>\n<p>By &#x2062;understanding the &#x200C;dynamics at play in this evolving landscape,&#x2064; both consumers and providers can better navigate the challenges and opportunities presented by the current&#x200B; state of broadband services in&#x200B; the UK.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/comparebroadbandpackages.co.uk\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1067 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/comparebroadbandpackages.co.uk\/guides\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/728x282-border.png\" alt=\"Click To Compare Broadband Deals\" width=\"728\" height=\"282\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<style>\r\n.lwrp.link-whisper-related-posts{\r\n            \r\n            margin-top: 40px;\nmargin-bottom: 30px;\r\n        }\r\n        .lwrp .lwrp-title{\r\n            \r\n            \r\n        }.lwrp .lwrp-description{\r\n            \r\n            \r\n\r\n        }\r\n        .lwrp .lwrp-list-container{\r\n        }\r\n        .lwrp .lwrp-list-multi-container{\r\n            display: flex;\r\n        }\r\n        .lwrp .lwrp-list-double{\r\n            width: 48%;\r\n        }\r\n        .lwrp .lwrp-list-triple{\r\n            width: 32%;\r\n        }\r\n        .lwrp .lwrp-list-row-container{\r\n            display: flex;\r\n            justify-content: space-between;\r\n        }\r\n        .lwrp .lwrp-list-row-container .lwrp-list-item{\r\n            width: calc(33% - 20px);\r\n        }\r\n        .lwrp .lwrp-list-item:not(.lwrp-no-posts-message-item){\r\n            \r\n            \r\n        }\r\n        .lwrp .lwrp-list-item img{\r\n            max-width: 100%;\r\n            height: auto;\r\n            object-fit: cover;\r\n            aspect-ratio: 1 \/ 1;\r\n        }\r\n        .lwrp .lwrp-list-item.lwrp-empty-list-item{\r\n            background: initial !important;\r\n        }\r\n        .lwrp .lwrp-list-item .lwrp-list-link .lwrp-list-link-title-text,\r\n        .lwrp .lwrp-list-item .lwrp-list-no-posts-message{\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n        }@media screen and (max-width: 480px) {\r\n            .lwrp.link-whisper-related-posts{\r\n                \r\n                \r\n            }\r\n            .lwrp .lwrp-title{\r\n                \r\n                \r\n            }.lwrp .lwrp-description{\r\n                \r\n                \r\n            }\r\n            .lwrp .lwrp-list-multi-container{\r\n                flex-direction: column;\r\n            }\r\n            .lwrp .lwrp-list-multi-container ul.lwrp-list{\r\n                margin-top: 0px;\r\n                margin-bottom: 0px;\r\n                padding-top: 0px;\r\n                padding-bottom: 0px;\r\n            }\r\n            .lwrp .lwrp-list-double,\r\n            .lwrp .lwrp-list-triple{\r\n                width: 100%;\r\n            }\r\n            .lwrp .lwrp-list-row-container{\r\n                justify-content: initial;\r\n                flex-direction: column;\r\n            }\r\n            .lwrp .lwrp-list-row-container .lwrp-list-item{\r\n                width: 100%;\r\n            }\r\n            .lwrp .lwrp-list-item:not(.lwrp-no-posts-message-item){\r\n                \r\n                \r\n            }\r\n            .lwrp .lwrp-list-item .lwrp-list-link .lwrp-list-link-title-text,\r\n            .lwrp .lwrp-list-item .lwrp-list-no-posts-message{\r\n                \r\n                \r\n                \r\n                \r\n            };\r\n        }<\/style>\r\n<div id=\"link-whisper-related-posts-widget\" class=\"link-whisper-related-posts lwrp\">\r\n            <h3 class=\"lwrp-title\">Related Posts<\/h3>    \r\n        <div class=\"lwrp-list-container\">\r\n                                            <div class=\"lwrp-list-multi-container\">\r\n                    <ul class=\"lwrp-list lwrp-list-double lwrp-list-left\">\r\n                        <li class=\"lwrp-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/comparebroadbandpackages.co.uk\/guides\/news\/giffgaff-finally-expands-uk-esim-support-mobile-customers\/\" class=\"lwrp-list-link\"><span class=\"lwrp-list-link-title-text\">Giffgaff Finally Expands UK eSIM Support to All Mobile Customers<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\"lwrp-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/comparebroadbandpackages.co.uk\/guides\/news\/outbound-mobile-calling-problems-strike-ees-national-uk-network\/\" class=\"lwrp-list-link\"><span class=\"lwrp-list-link-title-text\">Outbound Mobile Calling Problems Strike EE\u2019s National UK Network<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\"lwrp-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/comparebroadbandpackages.co.uk\/guides\/news\/freedom-fibre-pulls-north-shropshire-project-gigabit-contract-delivering-promised-coverage\/\" class=\"lwrp-list-link\"><span class=\"lwrp-list-link-title-text\">Freedom Fibre pulls out of North Shropshire Project Gigabit contract after delivering a third of promised coverage<\/span><\/a><\/li>                    <\/ul>\r\n                    <ul class=\"lwrp-list lwrp-list-double lwrp-list-right\">\r\n                        <li class=\"lwrp-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/comparebroadbandpackages.co.uk\/guides\/news\/rubery-openreach-full-fibre-weeks-tease\/\" class=\"lwrp-list-link\"><span class=\"lwrp-list-link-title-text\">Rubery is seeing Openreach full fibre appear weeks after first tease<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\"lwrp-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/comparebroadbandpackages.co.uk\/guides\/news\/ofcom-green-lights-direct-phone-satellite-services\/\" class=\"lwrp-list-link\"><span class=\"lwrp-list-link-title-text\">Ofcom green lights use of direct to phone satellite services<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\"lwrp-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/comparebroadbandpackages.co.uk\/guides\/news\/bduk-publishes-annual-progress-report-april-2024-march-2025\/\" class=\"lwrp-list-link\"><span class=\"lwrp-list-link-title-text\">BDUK publishes annual progress report for April 2024 to March 2025<\/span><\/a><\/li>                    <\/ul>\r\n                <\/div>\r\n                        <\/div>\r\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Why &#8220;Sorry, My Wi-Fi Is playing Up\u2026&#8221; Has Become the Go-To Excuse for Avoiding Video Calls In \u200crecent years,\u2064 the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5458,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"episode_type":"","audio_file":"","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[979,9722,9720,2720,9726,5531,9724,201,9723,9721,9718,9725,9719,9717,4011],"misspellings":[],"class_list":["post-11632","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-connectivity-problems","tag-digital-etiquette","tag-excuses","tag-internet-reliability","tag-modern-workplace","tag-online-communication","tag-professional-communication","tag-remote-work","tag-social-interaction","tag-technology-challenges","tag-video-calls","tag-video-conferencing","tag-virtual-meetings","tag-wi-fi-issues","tag-work-from-home"],"permalink_manager":null,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/comparebroadbandpackages.co.uk\/guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11632","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/comparebroadbandpackages.co.uk\/guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/comparebroadbandpackages.co.uk\/guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/comparebroadbandpackages.co.uk\/guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/comparebroadbandpackages.co.uk\/guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11632"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/comparebroadbandpackages.co.uk\/guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11632\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/comparebroadbandpackages.co.uk\/guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5458"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/comparebroadbandpackages.co.uk\/guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11632"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/comparebroadbandpackages.co.uk\/guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11632"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/comparebroadbandpackages.co.uk\/guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11632"},{"taxonomy":"misspellings","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/comparebroadbandpackages.co.uk\/guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/misspellings?post=11632"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}