The Internet Services Providers’ Association (ISPA) UK welcomes the Code of Practice on Broadband Speeds that will come into force tomorrow.

ISPA encourages its members to display openness and transparency when dealing with their customers and believes the Code of Practice supports this.

ISPA members were involved in the drafting of the Code in June of this year and have since been working closely with Ofcom to ensure that signatories implement the Code correctly.

The Code of Practice and the associated Ofcom ‘Broadband Guide’ are important steps in ensuring transparency for consumers. However, it is important that consumers understand that the speeds that they receive are likely to vary due to factors, many beyond the control of their ISP. The distance a customer lives from the telephone exchange, the condition of a customer’s phone line, the quality of wiring within their house, the type of modem or router a customer uses, the speed of their computer and the time of day that the customer accesses the Internet will all affect the speed of the connection.

ISPA would urge all consumers to consider all factors before choosing their broadband supplier and to always choose an ISPA member.

Commenting on the Code and the ongoing research into broadband performance, ISPA Secretary-General Nicholas Lansman praised the efforts of ISPA members in working with Ofcom to continue to improve the consumer experience. He added, ‘ISPA values the cooperation between ISPA members and Ofcom in this area and we look forward to continuing our work on this important issue’.

-ends-

Notes to the editor:

The Internet Services Providers’ Association (ISPA) was established in 1995 as a trade association to represent providers of Internet services in the UK. ISPA promotes competition, self-regulation and the development of the Internet industry. For a list of members or other information about ISPA, please consult the website: www.ispa.org.uk.

The views expressed in this release are those of the Internet Services Providers’ Association (ISPA) and do not necessarily reflect the corporate policies of the individual companies that are members of the Association or other organisations that may be mentioned in the release. For further editorial information please contact the ISPA Press Office (020 7340 4535).