75% of people who work in e-business claim they would write to their grandmothers more often if they could do so using email, according to the latest research conducted by e-consultancy.com.

Over 40,000 internet professionals, more than 30% of them senior managers, responded to a questionnaire from the e-business advice website which asked a series of questions about professional and personal internet habits. The results also showed that:

* 70% of respondents could not remember the last time they sent or received a fax
* 52% would consider going home if they lost their internet connection at work
* 37% admitted to checking e-mails on holiday

So deeply has the internet penetrated the private lives of a quarter of the survey's respondents that they now choose to switch on their home computers before turning on the TV.

Ashley Friedlein, CEO of e-consultancy, commented:
"Despite the dot.com bust, the internet is clearly fast becoming a necessity of everyday life. Email in particular has now become such a standard communication tool for so many younger people that their older relatives are clearly missing out."

Published on: 12:00AM on 29th August 2002