Solve disputes with your ISP

Over the past two years we have seen an unprecedented rise in the number of complaints about poor service from internet service providers (ISPs). It has reached the point where we estimate around seven in 10 complaints that come into the Computeractive office now concern these companies.

The move from dial-up services to broadband is the overriding factor. In the scramble to attract as many customers as possible, many ISPs have been guilty of promising customers more than they can deliver.

But as too many of their customers have discovered, ISPs have either over-egged the benefits or not made clear the limitations of current broadband technologies.

Why do so many people have broadband problems?
Typically the majority of complaints we get are about bandwidth, which equates to the speed at which data can be downloaded. Following a ruling by the Advertising Standards Authority, which took the ISP Bulldog to task over its press and TV ads promising 'up to 8 megabits per second (Mbits/sec) broadband', ISPs do tend to make it clearer that the speed is dependent on how far you live from an exchange.

But getting ISPs to rectify speed problems when the issue clearly has nothing to do with the distance from an exchange remains a big problem for consumers. ISPs either pass the buck by laying the blame at BT's door (because it owns the national telephone network and local exchanges that provide DSL broadband) or at the customer's.

The problem for many consumers is finding out exactly where the problem lies. If you find yourself involved in a dispute with your ISP follow these simple steps.

Getting advice
A good site to visit that could help clarify the problem you are having and which gives invaluable help is thinkbroadband.com. You can get expert free advice here and can discuss with others the issues you are facing. It can certainly give you the necessary facts to face your ISP.