By Natasha Lomas, 14 July 2008 15:19
NEWS
Brits are still not satisfied with broadband speeds - and with good reason since actual line speeds are still on average 50 per cent less than the headline speeds advertised.
Almost a third (28 per cent) of fat pipe subscribers - an estimated 4.2 million customers - in the UK are not satisfied with the speed they receive from their provider, according to a survey by price comparison website uSwitch. And fewer than one in 10 (eight per cent) of those subscribing to an up to 8Mbps service can confirm they actually receive the full 8Mbps.
Broadband from A to Z
Click on the links below to find out more...
A is for ADSL
B is for BT
C is for Cable & Wireless
D is for Dial-up
E is for Education
F is for Fibre
G is for Goonhilly
H is for HSDPA
I is for In-flight
J is for Janet
K is for Kingston
L is for Landlines
M is for Murdoch
N is for Next generation
O is for Ofcom
P is for Power lines
Q is for Quad-play
R is for Remote working
S is for Satellite phones
T is for Trains
U is for Unbundling
V is for VoIP
W is for WiMax
X is for Xbox
Y is for YouTube
Z is for Zombies
Last month telecoms regulator Ofcom announced a voluntary code of practice for ISPs for speed, with guidelines including providing customers with an accurate estimate of the maximum speed their line is likely to achieve, and offering to move them onto a lower speed package when estimates prove inaccurate. The regulator warned it would be conducting mystery shopping exercises and said if the voluntary system does not work it will consider introducing regulation.
The uSwitch survey found the standard advertised speed for broadband is 8Mbps but the average speed actually achieved is only 4Mbps. Moreover, some seven million consumers - or nearly half of all broadband customers in the UK - are technically incapable of getting the standard headline speed of 8Mbps as only around half (42 per cent) of non-cable broadband lines are able to receive 6Mbps or above, according to uSwitch.
Speed is second only to reliability when it comes to broadband consumers' wish-lists, the survey found. Well over half (58 per cent) of respondents said it is one of the most important factors when it comes to choosing a service; ahead of value for money (54 per cent); customer service (12 per cent) and technical support (12 per cent). Reliability of connection was cited as important by 60 per cent of respondents.
The survey also found nearly a third (30 per cent) of consumers now watch TV or video online.
uSwitch added that international broadband rankings put the UK's 4Mbps average to shame, with Japan boasting an average connection speed of 64Mbps, Korea with 50Mbps and France on 18Mbps.
Comments
There are 3 comments. Join the discussion
1. Ralph Beales
Bit of a non-story chaps (and chapessess)
Marketing have been using the 99p ploy for years to sell. I know lots of people who see £9.99 and say..."it's nine pounds.." it is of course, ten pounds, 'cos you can't 8 Black-Jacks/FruitSalads for a penny any more, so a penny is no longer worth a quarter-pint of mile ;)
So, people actually don't read the "up to" bit of the advertising blurb? Gosh, there's a surprise, they probaly rush put and buy a transformer car fo the telly, becuase it's packed full of goodies, ignoring the small-print stating model shown is actually 50% more expensive than the headline price. Same with Broadband.
2. anonymous
All a number game again, the bigger the number the better.
I have noticed no difference in web browsing since upgrading from 2mb to 8mb, the difference is however apparent when downloading large files (like windows service packs) which we all know will take a few minutes, good time to put the kettle on.
Do we all need such fast broadband connections???
3. anonymous
People also get confused between 8Mb and 8 MB, thus thinking their line should be much faster than it actually is.