Are Broadband speeds getting worse?

Sue Laughton has contacted Audlem Online to say: "I participated in the broadband speed survey last year and at the time it didn't seem too bad.

"In the past few weeks however, in the afternoon it has become awful – very very slow! I work from home approximately two days a week and I have definitely noticed a deterioration – has anyone else?"

Last month, on 12th February, we published the lengthy response from Government to Audlem Online's Broadband survey. That survey was carried out in November and speeds were getting worse over the period of the survey.

OfcomOfcom, the official regulator, is now seeking to stop Internet Service Providers (ISP) advertising and selling unachievable speeds. They use the phrase 'speeds up to ...' which means they aren't breaking the law but a survey of the speeds that were achievable show that many don't even get close. Talk Talk were the worst performers in the official tests, sometimes achieving little over a quarter of the 'up to' speed. Ofcom chief executive Ed Richards said last week: "The chances of someone receiving the advertised headline speed are fairly remote, We would like to see clearer information provided to consumers which more accurately reflects the likely speeds they will actually receive," Ofcom would like either a voluntary code or legislation put in place to make providers advertise a 'typical speed' which would allow customers to make a fairer comparison. The Advertising Standards Authority is looking into the matter. The ASA has been criticised for its stance on the marketing of broadband speeds.

Rural areasRural areas, typically, have slower speeds and they get worse the further away from the telephone exchange. One ISP, Entanet, said the Ofcom's proposals for future regulations are likely to prove unworkable.

For instance, they argued, ISPs with a predominantly rural subscriber base would be forced to promote significantly lower speeds than their urban counterparts, even though they could technically be offering the same service.

In the meantime, if you are having a terrible time with Brodband speeds, let Audlem Online know and we will again contact Mr Simon Towler who is Head of Broadband Policy and Programmes in the Department for Business, Innovations and Skills.

The Audlem survey data was, he tells us, passed on to his colleagues in Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) – this is the team within government charged with the delivery of the Government's broadband ambitions – namely that we should have the best superfast broadband network in Europe by 2015.

At present, we suspect, those ambitions may be going backwards if Sue Laughton's experience is typical.

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