Millions of broadband customers sold Super-fast connections, internet their providers are not capable of delivering for fire-fighting, according to new research.
Data released Ofcom under theof, communications watchdog, shows that broadband average speed is still less than half of the average advertised speed.
The report, published on Wednesday, saying that the British have a broadband average speed of 6 2 megabits per second (Mbps) — less than half the advertised average speed of 13,8 Mb.
Ofcom under pressure for a change in the way internet service providers, announces including BT, sky and O2, "up to" broadband speeds at which most customers are able to receive.
Its results will participate in a consultation now launched of Advertising Standards Authority Committee of advertising practice (Cap) and the broadcast Committee of adverting practices (BCAP) in how broadband speeds advertised. That is expected to report in the next three months.
"The research shows that Internet providers must do more to ensure they provide customers clear and accurate information on the services they provide, and the factors that may affect the actual speeds customers receive," said Ed Richards, by Ofcom concerning the Executive Director.
"It is important that the rules around broadband advertising changes, so that consumers can make more informed decisions based on advertisements they see, and that advertisers are able to communicate more clearly how their products compared to others on the market."
Ofcom under perform functional tests in 1700 homes throughout the United Kingdom in November and December last year. The report is based on the 11 broadband packages from the UK's seven largest providers, including Virgin Media and TalkTalk.
The increasing demand for faster broadband packages has led internet providers to advertise the maximum speeds, despite current infrastructure could support them. The only ISP delivers close to the maximum speed was announced, according to Ofcom under the Virgin Media, with the advantage of a relatively new cable networks in many urban areas.
Typical broadband speed received by customers was much closer to the advertised speed of fiber-optic cable packages, which they are provided by Virgin Media and Bouygues Telecom's Infinity package. However, only 22% of Britons fiber-optic connections with 77% of the population by using copper-based DSL phone lines.
The main difference in advertised and delivered broadband speeds came with "up to" 20Mbps connections provided through current-generation DSL lines. Only 3% of customers with this package received an average speed close to 20Mbps, with 69% receive an average speed of less than 8Mbps.
The overall average broadband speed increased from 5.2Mbps in may last year to 6.2Mbps in December, the report shows, which means a typical five-minute song would take just under four seconds to download, compared with only slightly more than five seconds on the slower speed.
Ofcom under recommends that broadband speeds shall be advertised in a "typical throughput lies" – the speed at which customers can expect to receive. Regulators say typical speeds must "have at least prominent" to the heading, speed, and maximum speeds should only be announced "If it is actually achievable in practice by a material number of consumers".
Under by Ofcom concerning the recommendations would ISPs advertising DSL connections of ' up to ' 8Mbps service used by the majority of Britons – be forced to reveal that the typical speed is in reality between 2Mbps and 5Mbps.
However, BT said it had "real concerns" with by Ofcom concerning the approach. "Move to the typical speed areas will potentially very misleading as the average performance will vary depending on where people live," said John Petter, Managing Director BT Retail consumer business. "Enforce typical speed areas are also dangerous it could encourage more internet service providers (ISPs) to cherry pick customers who want to increase their average leaving customers in rural areas and suburbs of under-served. That would encourage digital exclusion rather than solving it. "
Sky said the debate on the headline speeds had the potential to be a "red herring", since the existing Ofcom under the guidelines, providers must give customers individual speed estimates at the point of sale.
Jon James, Executive Director of broadband on Virgin Media, described in the report as "still a serious accusation that consumers continue to be treated like mugs and misled by Internet service providers (ISPs), which simply cannot deliver on their claims on the advertised speed."
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