Ofcom chairman Ed Richards has responded to a letter sent by the Ofcom Consumer Panel that called for better regulation around the area of ISPs claimed broadband connection speeds.
The Consumer Panel were concerned by the disparity between the speeds offered by ISPs and the actual speeds that some people were achieving.
The panel called for ISPs to give better information about the factors that affect broadband speed and for consumers to be able to leave contracts where they were unable to achieve speeds close to those claimed.
Richards agreed with the proposals set out in the letter from the panel.
"We agree that it is a vital issue for consumers and Ofcom has already been looking at these issues. Our initial proposals, on which we will be engaging with consumer groups and industry early in the New Year, are very much in line with the measures set out in your letter," he wrote.
Another suggestion from the Consumer Panel was that Ofcom itself should provide better information about the subject on its website.
"We agree that consumers may find comparative Quality of Service information very helpful in choosing the most appropriate ISP for their needs. To this end, we have already initiated a project that will identify the most useful indicators to consumers and establish the best possible method of providing this information to consumers," Richards said.
However, some voices in the industry have been calling for changes to the regulations concerning broadband speeds for a long time and think that Ofcom has been too slow to address the issue.
Aamir Baloch, director of telecoms at price-comparison service firsthelpline.com, said it was high time Ofcom took action.
"We encourage moves from Ofcom to regulate the accuracy of broadband speeds, even though they come rather late. Unfortunately, many consumers are now used to putting up with slower speeds than their ISPs claim to offer," said Baloch.
www.ofcom.org.uk
www.ofcomconsumerpanel.org.uk
www.firsthelpline.com
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