| Nowadays there is a proliferation of broadband speed | | | | In the past ISP's could bully consumers into staying with |
| tests on the internet. These have arisen in response to | | | | them by charging them for changing providers and by |
| the growing difference between the speeds | | | | creating delays that left consumers without a |
| advertised by Internet Service Providers (ISP's) and | | | | broadband connection for weeks, a situation that |
| the speeds actually received by consumers. More and | | | | forces a lot of people to reluctantly remain with a |
| more customers are finding that their speeds are far | | | | provider they were unhappy with. Under OFCOM's |
| lower than what they are paying for and research by | | | | new regulations, ISP's can no longer charge for |
| in 2007 showed that 44% of 43,000 customers were | | | | switching to new providers. They must also ensure |
| receiving only a pitiful HALF of the advertised speeds | | | | that the Migration Authorisation Code (MAC), the code |
| for their internet connections. This massive difference | | | | which is given to customers to give to their new |
| between advertised and received speeds has finally | | | | providers, is passed on within five days of the request. |
| caught the attention of communication regulator | | | | In the past ISP's would wait weeks before giving these |
| OFCOM. | | | | codes to customers, in order to deter them from |
| OFCOM has warned ISP's that they must be more | | | | changing. Now under the new regulations consumers |
| transparent about the actual speeds consumers are | | | | are protected from this practice. |
| receiving and there are calls from consumer panels to | | | | These changes are part of what will be a continuing |
| make ISP's contact customers within a fortnight of | | | | development of adequate regulatory standards that |
| joining to inform them of their exact actual top speeds. | | | | are needed for the booming broadband industry. As it |
| OFCOM has also introduced, since Valentine's Day this | | | | becomes more integral to daily life, and bandwidth |
| year, important regulatory changes that give | | | | becomes more valuable, we will need to ensure that |
| consumers freedom to switch ISP's if they are not | | | | consumer rights are protected. |
| happy with the service and speeds. | | | | |