Virgin Media has published the typical speeds Brits achieve on its 10Mb, 20Mb and 50Mb broadband packages in a bid to help web users choose an net connection that suits them. The ISP's move follows research conducted by ICM on behalf of Virgin Media that revealed 90 percent of web users find the speeds advertised by broadband providers 'misleading', while more than two thirds (67 percent) said they were frustrated by ISPs that fail to deliver their advertised speeds.
Nine in ten said they find it difficult to compare products on offer from different ISPs as they have no idea what speed they'll actually receive. Furthermore, just two percent of those surveyed said they found the current trend for advertising 'up to' speeds helpful when choosing an internet connection package, while 93 percent believe ISPs should only be allowed to advertise the 'typical' speed or that achieved by the majority of web users, rather than a 'headline' or fastest speed possible.
ICM said 94 percent believe broadband providers should advertise consistent information about broadband speeds – so they can reliably compare speeds. More than two in five (41 percent) also said they were willing to pay more for a broadband connection if they are guaranteed a faster connection.
Virgin Media defines the typical speed as the average speed received by 66 percent of customers over 24 hours. The ISP is now urging it competitors to reveal the same information. "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," said Jon James, executive director of broadband, at Virgin Media. "I hope other ISPs will quickly follow Virgin Media's lead by disclosing their own monthly performance data so people can make an informed decision about how to spend their money."
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