NEWS The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has rapped Bulldog over the knuckles after receiving complaints that the ISP had been promising broadband speeds it could not deliver.
The ASA received a number of complaints about two of Bulldog's adverts promoting its 4Mbps service.
One Bulldog customer stated the service had never delivered the promised 4Mbps and therefore the advert was misleading to radio listeners. In response, Bulldog said the advert told listeners that 'conditions apply' and pointed would-be customers towards their website, where users were alerted that the 4Mbps was an optimum rather than a likely speed.
The ASA, however, sided with the customer, saying in its adjudication: "We therefore believed that, without qualification, listeners were likely to be misled by the claim." Bulldog's adverts now include the phrase "up to" when selling speed.
Bulldog isn't the first ISP to be given a talking to over such claims. Both AOL and Wanadoo have already found themselves on the wrong end of an ASA adjudication.
Three radio listeners also complained about another Bulldog advert which claimed the ISP offered a four megabyte-per-second service for less than £20, rather than the four megabit-per-second service it actually provides. According to Bulldog, it was a genuine mistake and the adverts have been corrected.
Comments
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1. Suresh Karadia
I am still waiting for my "Proper 4mb"
connection since september 2004. I have met so many calls to rectify is but without any response. Only one person (Katrina) has responsed to my calls until two months ago. Now there is no response at all. Yes people have been led up the garden path. They are very quick charging the plastic card. I have stop to that til Bulldog get their fist out of their back side.
2. Charles Smith
A lot of hype, but do they have the resouces?
I rang Bulldog (Cable & Wireless) to enquire about a business DSL link during business hours about 11.00 am. I was directed to a voice mailbox. The sales guy rang back the following day.
If that is the service level to potential buyers I wonder what the service would have been like had I subscribed. Is this a cheap rather than an inexpensive service?
I've stuck with my current suppliers who cost a bit more, but have competent people who answer the phone very quickly when called.