Broadband ads 'need new rules'

By Chris Gibbings

New rules to help inform broadband customers about connection speeds are being urged after it was revealed that the average UK speed is less than half that advertised, at 6.2Mbit/second.

The average speed advertised is "up to" 13.8Mbps, said communications regulator Ofcom.

Now Ofcom is recommending rules requiring advertisers to cite typical speeds reached by at least half of customers alongside "up to" speeds.

The regulator wants the new regulations put in place "so consumers have a clearer idea of what speeds to expect" following its own research.

It has passed recommendations to the Advertising Standards Authority, which is responsible for any changes to the regulations.

The study looked at 11 packages provided by the seven largest internet service providers (ISPs), representing more than 90% of residential broadband subscribers in the UK, compiling results from more than 18 million separate performance tests in 1,700 homes during November and December.

It found that next-generation superfast broadband services, available to a growing number of households, were significantly faster than current generation services.