ISPA supports the new Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) guidelines coming into force next week which require ISPs to include a median average speed available to at least half of households at peak times. ISPA believes this is an important step in increasing consumer understanding of broadband speeds expectations. ISPA members are committed to meeting the new obligations regarding median averages, and clearly setting out all the relevant information to consumers before they sign up.
It is important to note that broadband speeds are subject to contention and not a dedicated service, and it is important for consumers to be aware that while speeds may appear slower due to this, it is also possible to receive the maximum at times. Consumers should also view speeds as one part of the overall package available to them, and also consider reliability, price and customer support.
There are a multitude of factors that can impact broadband speeds in households, many of which are outside of an ISP’s control, including the number of devices sharing a connection and wiring of a household. ISPA would urge consumers experiencing problems to contact their provider to gain greater understanding of how they could improve their speed within their home.
Our members are consistently investing in their networks to provide faster and more consistent connections across the UK. This is reflected in Ofcom’s recent figures show that average broadband speeds have more doubled since 2014 to 46.2Mbps by November 2017.[1]
[1] https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0027/113796/home-broadband-2017.pdf
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