Australian family's changing communication trends

The Optus Family Communication Survey released today has revealed that over half (55 per cent) of Australian children out-smart their parents in technology knowledge before they are 13 years old. A further 30 per cent of parents admit they are behind their children by the time they are 15 years old.

When questioned about their understanding of a range of technologies, the survey revealed that children (10-17 years old) already know more or about the same as their parents about bluetooth, blogging, cloud computing, mobile phone applications, Twitter, visual voicemail, social networking and MMS.  Children's actual usage of these technologies is greater than their parents.

...One in two Australian's rate themselves the '21st Century family'

Over half (53 per cent) of Australian parents rate their family as being like cartoon kin 'The Jetsons' - with all family members tech-smart and choosing to regularly communicate by email, SMS, mobile phone and the internet. 

In further findings, conducted by Galaxy Research, 20 per cent admitted they were more like 'The Simpsons', with parents surveyed slightly techno-phobic, but believe their children to be well-versed in modern technologies. Only three per cent of parents identified with the television family the 'Beverly Hillbillies', whose members prefer old-fashioned face-to-face communication or the use of a landline to the internet or mobile phones.

...Aussies would rather get broadband, than get naked!

The Optus Family Communication Survey has also revealed the growing importance of broadband internet within the family home.  For more than half of Australian parents the family's internet usage has more than tripled in the last five years, and for a further 23 per cent it has doubled.

When asked to rank in order a list of things they had to give up for a month - a list that included their landline, broadband internet, mobile phone, an overseas holiday, car, a daily coffee, chocolate, or their partner - Australians revealed they were least able to forgo their broadband internet connection.  Parents were six times more likely to give up their partner and 12 times more likely to give up chocolate than their broadband connection.

Three quarters (75 per cent) of internet usage is for personal and entertainment reasons and 25 per cent is for work and study.  10-17 year olds are almost twice as likely (30 per cent) to use the internet for social networking than homework (16 per cent).  Mobile phone usage has also at least tripled for nearly half (44 per cent) of parents.

Recognising the increasing importance of family's phone and internet needs, Optus have released new Optus Family Value Packs, allowing families to customise their Home Phone, Broadband and Mobile Plans to suit the individual needs of their family.