Success for Computeractive Crystal Clear Campaign

Computeractive’s Crystal Clear broadband campaign has achieved a notable victory, with Ofcom today announcing a new code of practice for internet service providers (ISPs).

The campaign called on Ofcom to make ISPs provide customers with clear information about the actual speed they can expect before they sign a contract.

At the end of last year Ofcom told us it had been researching the issue. It added that our survey, which found that 62 per cent of people got less than half the speed advertised for their service, made it “realise that now is the right time to look into this further”.

Today Ofcom said: “The issue of broadband speeds is an area of consumer interest and concern, as the Computeractive Crystal Clear campaign helped to highlight. Our code of practice will provide real clarity for consumers about the actual broadband speeds they can expect.”

The code is voluntary but 37 ISPs, serving over 90 per cent of broadband customers, have already agreed to honour both its letter and spirit.

Ofcom said it would use mystery shopping exercises to check that ISPs honour their commitment. It said that if it finds this voluntary approach is ineffective, it will consider introducing formal regulations.

Although the code does not demand any changes to the way in which broadband products are advertised, it does require ISPs to give details of any 'traffic management' systems that can affect users’ broadband speeds.

Andrew Ferguson of Thinkbroadband, a campaign partner, told Computeractive that this was one of the most useful aspects of the code.

“This is a big step in the right direction. It may mean we finally find out which providers throttle what traffic,” he said.

The code has also been welcomed by industry experts.

Gavin Johns of broadband monitoring firm Epitiro said: “It is a baseline but now Ofcom must move on and look at issues other than speed. This includes how consumers use broadband and the quality of service.

"If you are downloading videos you need constant speeds, if it is just email and web browsing you don't need faster speeds and how people's connections are used will affect which packages are best for them.”

To gain a clearer picture of the issue, Ofcom is also undertaking what it has claimed is the UK's most authoritative and comprehensive broadband speed survey. This will identify actual broadband performance across the country and its relationship to advertised headline speeds.

Ed Richards, Ofcom's chief executive, said: "Broadband is a thriving market in the UK. We want to encourage real clarity for consumers about the actual broadband speeds they can receive. This voluntary code is a significant step in this direction."

Ofcom is strongly urging all fixed-line ISPs to sign up to this code and to implement it in full within six months of signing.