Brits spend almost three days a month surfing the web
Mobile phones and the internet have become so ingrained in society that people admit they would struggle to organise their lives without them.
According to a survey on mobile and internet usage from the UK's leading price comparison site moneysupermarket.com, technology is so important to us that people would find it hard even to keep in touch with friends and family with a third of adults (30 per cent) admitting they would contact people less without access to the internet or a mobile phone.
An additional one in four (26 per cent) fear they would miss out on things and one in seven (14 per cent) wouldn't know how to keep in touch with friends and family at all if they did not have a mobile or internet connection.
Julie Owens, broadband and mobiles spokesperson at moneysupermarket.com said, "Mobile phones and the internet have become a way of life for millions of people and it is clear from this research that without these essential items, people would find it hard to contact friends and family and would worry about missing out on things."
This reliance on technology comes as a result of incessant use. The study shows that the average UK adult spends 68 hours online and over seven hours using their mobile phone every month. This equates to over a month (34 days) a year online and three and a half days per year on the phone.
Owens added, "Technology has developed so much over the last 10 years and the capabilities and functionality of phones and the internet have meant people are spending an increasing amount of time using them. For example, mobiles are no longer just used as phones and as a result people have become more and more dependent on them.
"If people are using the internet or mobile phone for large periods of time, then I would urge them to check they are on a deal that suits their needs. Some providers charge extortionate amounts for going over your broadband download limit, and minutes and texts outside your bundle can often be quite expensive."