Ofcom targets broadband speed claims

27th Jul 2010 12:57

Broadband speeds in the UK are increasing but not to anywhere near the levels adverts from the telecoms companies suggest, regulator Ofcom said today.In fact, the gap between the actual speeds internet browsers receive and the speed advertised is getting wider, the telecoms watchdog said.In a survey of all of the major broadband providers, Ofcom found 97% of consumers do not get the advertised speed, with the average consumer getting less than less than half their advertised speed.Broadband customers receiving a service through copper wire networks were the worst served, while those on a fibre optic cable-based network scored highest.Ofcom found advertised copper-based DSL speeds of 20-24Mbit/second provided an average speed of just 6.5Mbit/second.After the findings, Ofcom will tweak its code of conduct for suppliers. Customers will now have the right to cancel their contract without penalty if their speed is significantly below the estimate provided by their ISP and the problem cannot be resolved."Actual speeds are often much lower than many of the advertised speeds which makes it essential that consumers are given information which is as accurate as possible at the point of sale; this is what the new code is designed to deliver," said Ed Richards, chief executive at Ofcom. Ofcom also wants ISPs to publish a "typical speed range" alongside the current speeds used for adverts to give a more accurate picture of the service offered.BT, Britain's largest ISP, said "People get what they sign up for," he said. "They are informed when they sign up so they know what speed to expect."The Ofcom survey also found that 65% of UK homes have fixed line broadband, with a quarter of those on lines able to support 10Mbps or more.