"Stop The Broadband Con" Campaign
Just came across this in a Tweet by Sir Richard himself:
http://www.stopthebroadbandcon.org/letter.php
I, for one, signed the petition. While some ISPs are better than others, they're all guilty of fooling the general public into thinking they're likely to get more than they actually are. Sure, they use words like "up to" in their marketing bumpf to cover their behinds, but I agree that things could be a little clearer, especially for the less technically-inclined people of the public.
So why not sign it, and let everyone know that things need to change?
PS. This isn't an attack on Plusnet, but I feel as though everyone would benefit if ISPs were a little stricter with their claims about how fast a service they provide etc, Plusnet included.
http://www.stopthebroadbandcon.org/letter.php
Quote Virgin prides itself on being innovative and challenging the norms but my views on how to treat customers are pretty traditional. Whether it’s a topped up pint in the pub, the full forty miles-to-the–gallon or broadband speeds - we should all get what we pay for. At Virgin, we believe in being honest about the service we provide. But there’s something going on in broadband advertising that’s just plain wrong.
Some Internet Service Providers (ISPs) just aren’t keeping up with their promises. Many of them are advertising superfast broadband speeds they know full well they cannot deliver, offering speeds of ‘up to’ 20Mb but delivering an average of just 6.5Mb. And what does this mean for the customer at the end of the line? Buffering, delays and not getting the broadband you are paying for.
...
I, for one, signed the petition. While some ISPs are better than others, they're all guilty of fooling the general public into thinking they're likely to get more than they actually are. Sure, they use words like "up to" in their marketing bumpf to cover their behinds, but I agree that things could be a little clearer, especially for the less technically-inclined people of the public.
So why not sign it, and let everyone know that things need to change?
PS. This isn't an attack on Plusnet, but I feel as though everyone would benefit if ISPs were a little stricter with their claims about how fast a service they provide etc, Plusnet included.
During signup we give a speed estimates so we are doing our utmost with regards to setting an honest expectation.
With a view to providing more relevant information and to set clearer expectation with regards to speeds we will soon be changing this system to provide a speed range instead, this will adhere to new ofcom regulations: http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/telecoms/codes-of-practice/broadband-speeds-cop-2010/code-of-practi...
The way this will work is if a speed range is not available or the speed is below 2mb we will revert back to giving an estimated speed. This will only apply to our current products (up to 8 and up to 20mb) and not to any of the fibre trials which are taking place.
Any questions please let me know.
With a view to providing more relevant information and to set clearer expectation with regards to speeds we will soon be changing this system to provide a speed range instead, this will adhere to new ofcom regulations: http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/telecoms/codes-of-practice/broadband-speeds-cop-2010/code-of-practi...
The way this will work is if a speed range is not available or the speed is below 2mb we will revert back to giving an estimated speed. This will only apply to our current products (up to 8 and up to 20mb) and not to any of the fibre trials which are taking place.
Any questions please let me know.
Hmmm, I'm very sceptical about anything promoted by Virgin cable.
As we all know, apart from the "up to" issue, which is slowly being controlled we have:
1. Line length and quality affects ADSL speeds (but not cable) and this is still not widely clarified
2. Traffic management seriously affects real-world performance and usability on both cable and ADSL
3. Users own wiring is a major issue with ADSL
4. Wirless networks add a whole further complication
5. etc. etc.
So, it's not simple, as many of us here already know, and just picking on the "issue of the moment" is not, to my mind, being at all "genuine" - far from it!
As we all know, apart from the "up to" issue, which is slowly being controlled we have:
1. Line length and quality affects ADSL speeds (but not cable) and this is still not widely clarified
2. Traffic management seriously affects real-world performance and usability on both cable and ADSL
3. Users own wiring is a major issue with ADSL
4. Wirless networks add a whole further complication
5. etc. etc.
So, it's not simple, as many of us here already know, and just picking on the "issue of the moment" is not, to my mind, being at all "genuine" - far from it!
In regards to the OP, the Hook, Line, Sinker in adverts is upto 8Mb upto 20Mb etc, when the average is about 3.5Mb, however information won't appeal to the general public, so adverts really can't be honest in the first place! It would be a shock to the UK ISP world if an ISP stated the actual facts in an advert, 
we'd all die of shock probably.
Adam is also right in saying that speed estimates are given out, and this isn't the case with every ISP most major players do now give a line estimate.
Think about it, you don't see a spotty chav in a perfume advert buying a bottle for his 16year old girlfriend and driving off into the smog in a clapt out Corsa do you? No, you see a sexy half undressed beautiful woman, nice scenery, super cars, models, all because the later appeals, when yes we all know the chav will buy said perfume and give to girlfriend and drive off in his clapt out Corsa probably without insurance MOT or licence
It isn't really a con, it is glazed over to look nice and to appeal...........tis life. I just wish BT would do more to improve the lives of those on poor quality broadband and not fob off ISP's and their customers!
we'd all die of shock probably.Adam is also right in saying that speed estimates are given out, and this isn't the case with every ISP most major players do now give a line estimate.
Think about it, you don't see a spotty chav in a perfume advert buying a bottle for his 16year old girlfriend and driving off into the smog in a clapt out Corsa do you? No, you see a sexy half undressed beautiful woman, nice scenery, super cars, models, all because the later appeals, when yes we all know the chav will buy said perfume and give to girlfriend and drive off in his clapt out Corsa probably without insurance MOT or licence
It isn't really a con, it is glazed over to look nice and to appeal...........tis life. I just wish BT would do more to improve the lives of those on poor quality broadband and not fob off ISP's and their customers!
While this is a serious issue and the ASA are currently reviewing: http://www.asa.org.uk/Resource-Centre/Hot-Topics/Broadband-advertising.aspx
I couldn't resist popping in my non cable Sheffield post code into the Virgin Media site to have a check what happens... i got a page telling me I can get "Up to 20mb" Broadband!
So maybe rather than this:
Many of them are advertising superfast broadband speeds they know full well they cannot deliver, offering speeds of ‘up to’ 20Mb but delivering an average of just 6.5Mb.
It should read this:
Many of them (Include Virgin Media) are advertising superfast broadband speeds they know full well they cannot deliver, offering speeds of ‘up to’ 20Mb but delivering an average of just 6.5Mb.
Plusnet is signed-up to the OFCOM code of practice on speed, and I was delighted when we did well in our compliance to the code of practice following research by OFCOM. http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/telecoms/cop/isp_compliance.pdf I'd ask why Virgin provided 35% of customers on there website with the Headline speed, and that 79% of advisors at Virgin media didn't explain it was an estimate? We clearly have more to do in this space, and we have lessons to learn from the research, some of which we have implemented. In January we are updating our sign-up process to give a range, and an estimate to set better expectations with customers.
Fletch
edit - Typo.
I couldn't resist popping in my non cable Sheffield post code into the Virgin Media site to have a check what happens... i got a page telling me I can get "Up to 20mb" Broadband!
So maybe rather than this:
Many of them are advertising superfast broadband speeds they know full well they cannot deliver, offering speeds of ‘up to’ 20Mb but delivering an average of just 6.5Mb.
It should read this:
Many of them (Include Virgin Media) are advertising superfast broadband speeds they know full well they cannot deliver, offering speeds of ‘up to’ 20Mb but delivering an average of just 6.5Mb.
Plusnet is signed-up to the OFCOM code of practice on speed, and I was delighted when we did well in our compliance to the code of practice following research by OFCOM. http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/telecoms/cop/isp_compliance.pdf I'd ask why Virgin provided 35% of customers on there website with the Headline speed, and that 79% of advisors at Virgin media didn't explain it was an estimate? We clearly have more to do in this space, and we have lessons to learn from the research, some of which we have implemented. In January we are updating our sign-up process to give a range, and an estimate to set better expectations with customers.
Fletch
edit - Typo.
Quote from: TicnTac In regards to the OP, the Hook, Line, Sinker in adverts is upto 8Mb upto 20Mb etc, when the average is about 3.5Mb, however information won't appeal to the general public, so adverts really can't be honest in the first place! It would be a shock to the UK ISP world if an ISP stated the actual facts in an advert,
Yeah no doubt, but I'd rather they were honest. I just don't like the fact that advertising regulations etc can be so vague/have so many loopholes, that numbers like "20" can be throw around when really (as you say) it should be more like "3.5". A lot of people just wouldn't realise that they're not getting what they think they are, and the only reason they think they're getting it is because of the adverts and sales pitches they hear. Some people know better, but most don't, and I can't help but feel that advertising and marketing departments take advantage of that.
Quote from: Fletch While this is a serious issue and the ASA are currently reviewing: http://www.asa.org.uk/Resource-Centre/Hot-Topics/Broadband-advertising.aspx
I couldn't resist popping in my non cable Sheffield post code into the Virgin Media site to have a check what happens... i got a page telling me I can get "Up to 20mb" Broadband!
In my experience Virgin gives exactly what it says it does. A friend of mine living in Cambridge at the time signed up for their 20Mb package, and got 20Mb consistently. They do curb your speeds if you go over their 7Gb daily limit, but I'm sure most people can live with that.
Before Virgin took over, I think they were called NTL, which myself and some housemates signed up with while at uni. Again, we signed up for the 10Mb package (which was the highest at the time) and got 10Mb all the time.
Ah, those were the days.
Article was on The Register not long ago with a nice Virgin screenshot...
Article
Sort of a "get your own house in order Virgin!" article.
Article
Sort of a "get your own house in order Virgin!" article.
Nearest cable from me is like 105 miles so...
guess this doesn't effect me
guess this doesn't effect me
Come back NTHell all is forgiven............. Or Diamond Cable as they started out, the great thing about the service was that we started with a 1Mb connection, it went up to 2Mb, then 5Mb then 10Mb then 20Mb and it would now be on 50Mb, although we opted to go back down for a cheaper price.........750kbs min on transfer speeds, and unless a car had hit a little green box, or vandals had got in, there weren't the sort of issues you get with ADSL. I loved cable, it worked, or it didn't, no silly inbetween, no, sort of working, or sort of connecting, some say the Virgin cable service has gone down hill, but I still have family members on cable, and they have not yet had a complaint, we even know some businesses who have gone through the system Diamond - NTL - Virgin, and again they haven't had issues. Same can be said with BT and PN customers Have to yet to meet one in person mind 
I think all the positive feedback on here are just Adam, JoJo and Bob making up names just throw in some balance because they're bored
However, Virgin isn't outside, so unless we uproot and move, it is never going to happen, and the Infinity service is never going to be a patch on what Virgin have on offer.
Back to advertising, as people keep saying, yes they throw around 20Mb here and upto 10 or 8Mb there, but the fact is advertising is what it is, or this forum probably wouldn't exist, and I doubt very much we'd be where we are now in terms of Broadband take up in the UK. You have to gloss, you have to hype, you have to cover over the ifs and buts..............otherwise it would be pointless.
There is nothing good, or honest about advertising, or BT / Plusnet even, Internet as a whole, apart from it employs people, makes money for people, and gets customers, which all in all, is a good thing! Yes, a lot of us on here know better, and feel frustrated about those that don't.........tis the way of the world, and it will always be like that.........otherwise, we'd all have a car, a job, free telephone and internet, decent equipment, and it'll all be free........no poverty, starvation, but then that's a whole different reality to what we live in, and since everyone with Plusnet is with BT..............all I can say is............welcome to hell! Mwuahahahaha!
Or Diamond Cable as they started out, the great thing about the service was that we started with a 1Mb connection, it went up to 2Mb, then 5Mb then 10Mb then 20Mb and it would now be on 50Mb, although we opted to go back down for a cheaper price.........750kbs min on transfer speeds, and unless a car had hit a little green box, or vandals had got in, there weren't the sort of issues you get with ADSL. I loved cable, it worked, or it didn't, no silly inbetween, no, sort of working, or sort of connecting, some say the Virgin cable service has gone down hill, but I still have family members on cable, and they have not yet had a complaint, we even know some businesses who have gone through the system Diamond - NTL - Virgin, and again they haven't had issues. Same can be said with BT and PN customers Have to yet to meet one in person mind I think all the positive feedback on here are just Adam, JoJo and Bob making up names just throw in some balance because they're bored However, Virgin isn't outside, so unless we uproot and move, it is never going to happen, and the Infinity service is never going to be a patch on what Virgin have on offer.
Back to advertising, as people keep saying, yes they throw around 20Mb here and upto 10 or 8Mb there, but the fact is advertising is what it is, or this forum probably wouldn't exist, and I doubt very much we'd be where we are now in terms of Broadband take up in the UK. You have to gloss, you have to hype, you have to cover over the ifs and buts..............otherwise it would be pointless.
There is nothing good, or honest about advertising, or BT / Plusnet even, Internet as a whole, apart from it employs people, makes money for people, and gets customers, which all in all, is a good thing! Yes, a lot of us on here know better, and feel frustrated about those that don't.........tis the way of the world, and it will always be like that.........otherwise, we'd all have a car, a job, free telephone and internet, decent equipment, and it'll all be free........no poverty, starvation, but then that's a whole different reality to what we live in, and since everyone with Plusnet is with BT..............all I can say is............welcome to hell!
Mwuahahahaha!