Watchdog reports on broadband speed discrepancies

The UK’s communications regulator Ofcom has recently reported on the level of broadband speed discrepancies in the UK, where consumers are paying for speeds that they simply aren’t receiving.

Speed is a very important consideration for most broadband customers in the UK, and with so many people now using their broadband services for things such as streaming content, downloading lots of data, online gaming, and more speed has become one of the top considerations for many of those that are comparing broadband services and deals.

In fact, many broadband users are prepared to pay a higher price for their broadband service so that they can get speeds that are adequate for their needs, and with many Internet Providers offering broadband deals that come with impressive headline speeds consumers are certainly not short of choice as long as they are prepared to pay the higher price.

However, the UK’s communications regulator Ofcom has recently reported on discrepancies with broadband speeds in the UK, where many customers are paying for higher speeds but not actually receiving them. The official Ofcom study revealed that most homes are receiving only half the broadband speed that they are paying for.

The watchdog revealed in its report that many big name ISPs such as BT and Talk Talk advertise impressive up to speeds that could potentially be reached by customers, enticing customers into paying for these packages. However, two thirds of customers are actually only receiving speeds of 8Mbps or less.

An official from Consumer Focus said: ‘If consumers pay for a Ferrari-style internet service, they should not get push-bike speeds. The Advertising Standards Authority should take a tough approach.’

Source – Daily Mail