Figures released by NU.nl and the Dutch Authority for Consumers & Markets (ACM) show that people in the Netherlands spent, on average, an extra 45 minutes a month on phone calls during the coronavirus lockdown in 2020. 

Calling during the Dutch lockdown

The data only looked at calls via landlines and mobile phones, and so the significant amount of time people spent on video calls has not been taken into account.

The figures published by ACM show that, in the first quarter of 2020, people in the Netherlands spent more time on phone calls - an average of three hours and 44 minutes a month. Following the intelligent lockdown implemented by the Dutch government, this rose again. 

In April, May, and June, people in the Netherlands racked up an average of four hours and four minutes of call time per month - 46 minutes more than the 2018 and 2019 average of three hours and 18 minutes a month.

Together, alone

ACM recorded nearly 10,3 billion call minutes per quarter in 2018 and 2019. This year, however, in Q1 of 2020 they registered over 11,6 billion minutes, which rose by a further billion in the following three months. 

The data shows that, while many were left isolated from friends and family and unable to maintain physical contact, they turned to alternative methods to stay in touch. Unsurprisingly, people changed habits to stay better connected and look out for one another.