Net speed rules come into force
Customers will be better informed about the speed of their net
connection under new rules.
The Ofcom-backed code of practice has won pledges from net firms to give
more information about line speeds.
Net firms covering 95% of the UK's broadband users have signed up to the
voluntary scheme which comes into force on 5 December.
Over the next six months Ofcom will monitor net firms to ensure they
live up to their promises.
No penalty
The code of conduct was drawn up in response to research that suggested
consumers were confused by adverts that promised broadband speeds that
few consumers could achieve.
Almost a quarter of people do not get the speed they expect, according
to early results from Ofcom research, which is due to be published in
full in 2009.
The code requires net firms to:
• Give new customers an accurate estimate of the maximum speed their
line can support.
• Explain how technical issues could slow speeds and give advice about
how to combat these problems.
• Downgrade a customer's deal, at no penalty, if line speeds are a lot
lower than the original estimate.
Customers must also get timely warnings if they breach the data download
caps that many net firms impose on customers.
Consumers can check whether their net firm has signed up to the code of
practice via the Ofcom website.
Anna Bradley, chair of Ofcom's Communications Consumer Panel, welcomed
the code.
"The new code will help consumers make better informed choices," she
said in a statement.
"It addresses the concerns that we raised with Ofcom and the ISPs last
year about broadband speeds - about the mismatch between the speeds that
consumers think they are buying and what they actually get."
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news. bbc.co.uk/ go/pr/fr/ -/1/hi/technolog y/7764489. stm
Published: 2008/12/04 11:42:21 GMT
Thursday, 4 December 2008
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