10/10/2017
Stronger codes to help broadband consumers buy wisely (UK)
Stronger codes of practice proposed by Ofcom will require business and residential broadband providers to ‘close the gap’ between the speeds they claim in their advertising and the speeds they actually deliver during peak periods – and make it easier for consumers to ditch their contracts with providers who fail to deliver.
In addition to expanding the scope of the codes to apply to all broadband technologies , ‘Consultation: Broadband Speeds Codes of Practice’ proposes that providers will give users easy access at point of sale and in their contract to information such as
- estimated download speed range
- minimum guaranteed download speed
- estimated upload speed
Providers would also have much less time – just one month maximum – to improve speed before customers could scrap their contracts and switch to another supplier. This right would, for the first time, apply to contracts bundling TV and phone services with broadband.
In relation to the peak/off peak speed gap, Ofcom’s UK Home Broadband Performance report puts the average download speeds for residential users at 34.6Mbit/s during the 8-10pm peak period, compared with average maximum speeds of 39.1Mbit/s.
Andrew Ferguson, co-founder and editor of ‘Think Broadband’, points out that it can be even more significant: “The drop at peak times varies widely; some smaller providers have almost no drop, whereas with the largest providers it varies between a drop of 8 and 34 per cent.”
While welcoming the potential of the proposals to provide consumers with valuable information, he stresses that the ”guaranteed speed is usually the connect speed to the router the provider supplies”. Factors relating to wifi signals, ethernet cables, computers and anti-virus software, as well as peak period congestion, can all influence connection speed.
He also warns that stricter codes may actually reduce provider choice for consumers who have ‘less than perfect telephone lines’.
‘Better information before you buy broadband’ explains the proposed changes to the code and their implications for consumers. It includes a short video and infographic and links to the latest Ofcom mystery shopping report, which shows that providers are complying ‘adequately’ with the current code.
Ofcom expects to publish its final decision on the improved codes of practice next year, alongside a consumer guide that will help raise awareness of their additional features.