Wi-Fi: the Sharpest Tool in the Shed
According to new research cited by the Daily Mail Reporter, sheds today are more likely to have Wi-Fi than a wheelbarrow. 53% of sheds have Wi-Fi access but only 25% have a wheelbarrow, an emblematic tool that has been a staple of traditional shed usage — gardening, landscaping, and the like. No longer. People are increasingly using sheds as work and hobby spaces. More than a quarter of respondents — 28% of those surveyed — reported that they used their garden shed as a space to work on their hobbies.
However, Wi-Fi access in sheds isn’t just helping people get more out of their spare time. It is also helping to empower budding entrepreneurs. 7% of shed hobbyists grew their hobbies into small businesses. Wi-Fi and the unlicensed spectrum that makes it work have helped these people take their interests to the next level; spurring innovation, creating jobs, and contributing to local economies.
Wi-Fi and unlicensed spectrum aren’t just spurring new jobs through increased access — they also enrich existing careers for professionals of all ages. A staggering one-fifth of those surveyed have created outdoor offices, and 20% of millennial respondents reported that they were using their Wi-Fi-connected sheds to run successful blogs and businesses.
Accessible, reliable Wi-Fi makes a world of difference both on and off the clock. There’s a reason that Wi-Fi and unlicensed spectrum are in such high demand — Wi-Fi has a lot to offer, from backyard bliss to educational and job opportunities to next-generation medical devices and more. If we want to support all the progress that Wi-Fi can bring to our communities, we have to step up and make sure that there is enough available unlicensed spectrum to keep Wi-Fi working.
Policymakers, tech innovators, and wireless Internet equipment manufacturers must work together to ensure that more unlicensed spectrum becomes — and stays — available, that technologies such as LTE-U stay out of Wi-Fi’s way, and that growing network traffic is well-managed.
Let’s keep Wi-Fi open for business. Click here to show your support for Wi-Fi and unlicensed spectrum!
