Mobile Computing News

Photo: Virgin

‘Get unlimited broadband with speeds up to….’ Have you ever noticed these commercials from British broadband service providers? They’re no different from ‘this product is clinically proven’ because with the latter, you’re never told what they are clinically proven to do and the former is a misleading indicator, when in fact you should be told what your average speed is.

Ofcom has had enough of this and is grading providers according to average speed. Virgin Media is in support of this cause, and is doing the same of its own volition.

Virgin Media, who benefit from having a high-speed fibre optics network that, in turn, allow their average speeds to mimic their reported ‘up to’ speeds, are calling for providers to be more honest about the actual speeds, too. And, in the interest of not being hypocritical, Virgin media has set up a ‘speed honesty’ site, wherein it will publically publish its average speeds

Controlling the problem

Ofcom is already publishing its own average speed results for the various networks so consumers know what they’re actually getting and the disparity is often times colossal. What the Virgin Media broadband team is doing is controlling the problem and making itself look good in the process.

This way, even though it’s a pure business tactic, they look like they’ve got their consumer at heart.

Fighting words

Jon James, who is the Virgin Media broadband team’s executive director said: ‘People are paying for faster and faster broadband but being ripped off by unscrupulous providers who can’t deliver their promised speeds to even a single customer.’ So what’s the solution James, old chap? ‘A change in advertising is urgently needed to build consumer confidence in super-fast broadband and the industry more generally,’ is Mr. James’ opinion.

Let’s be unequivocal here: British broadband service providers should not be allowed to advertise up to speeds. Not at all. Average speeds are a better indicator of what you’re paying for, making it simpler to grade the quality of each British broadband service provider. The Virgin Media broadband teams realise this. Everybody else needs to now follow suit.