Switching off the microwave will boost wifi connectivity, says UK’s media regulator

Britain's media regulator Ofcom says that if users want to boost the Wifi connectivity at homes, they should probably switch off the microvawes in their homes. The ovens, as per the regulator, slows down the Wifi signals and hinders with your video calls and other internet-based activities.

The piece of advise comes from the Ofcom in a bid to improve the internet connectivity at the time of coronavirus pandemic and when most employees and students are asked to work and take classes from home.

This not only affects the mobile phones but other devices as well including cordless phones, baby monitors, halogen lamps, dimmer switches, stereos and more. Also mentioned is that such devices if placed near the Wifi router, can affect the network speeds as well.

Also read: How to boost Wi-Fi connectivity at home for better and stronger coverage

Ofcom chief executive Melanie Dawes said families across the country were going online together this week, often juggling work and keeping children busy at the same time. "So we're encouraging people to read our advice on getting the most from their broadband, home phones and mobiles - and to share it with friends, families and colleagues, to help them stay connected too," she said.

At the time when everyone is using internet bandwidth more than ever, Ofcom says that landline or internet calls can offer a more reliable connection than mobile calls. In many homes, long-forgotten landlines have been resurrected as people rediscover the value of a voice call to family and friends during the pandemic.

Also read: Telecoms sneaking in 'stay home' messages on smartphones

Virgin Media, which is Britain's one of the largest cable TV operator, has said that its customers have started spending almost twice as much time on landline phones as they did a week ago. The phone call minutes have also gone up by as much as 94%.

It said its landline network also saw large growth in demand in peak times that means in the morning when people start working from home with around 2.5 million calls an hour.

With inputs from Reuters.