ISP wants greater broadband speed transparency from other providers

The parent company of a Hull and East Riding Internet service provider has recently called for greater broadband speed transparency from other Internet providers.

The parent company of Karoo Broadband, which operates in the Hull and East Riding area, has recently urged Internet service providers to provide greater transparency to consumers when it comes to their broadband speeds. The ISP’s parent company, Kingston Communications, has stated that it is frustrating for consumers who find that the speed that they get does not match the speed that they are expecting.

Karoo Broadband has recently taken the first step in providing greater transparency by creating a speed map of its own broadband services, which shows the actual download speeds across its network. With broadband speeds being so important to consumers this sort of facility will prove invaluable to those that want a more accurate measure of the speeds that they will receive compared to the headline up to speeds advertised by providers.

An official from Kingston Communications stated: “One of the most frustrating aspects for consumers is that the service they sign up for doesn’t always match the ‘up to’ speeds that are advertised by broadband providers.” He added: “Using KC’s Speed Map, broadband users can now check and compare actual broadband speeds, on any given post code, before signing up or moving home. With last year’s Digital Britain report calling for greater transparency, we are urging other providers to follow our lead.”

Another industry official said: “It’s great that Karoo is doing more to improve the transparency of speeds for its customers and broadband providers across the board should follow its lead and make it easier for consumers to see what kind of speeds their going to get before they sign up. Despite widespread media coverage over broadband speeds, many people still think that they’re going to get the advertised ‘up to’ when they sign up. But a variety of factors, from traffic management to distance from the exchange, can affect download speeds and very few people will ever get anything like the 8Mb or 20Mb broadband they’re expecting – resulting in disappointment and frustration.”