Ofcom has said that that average download speeds remain less than half of "up to" speeds claimed in the advertisements by broadband providers in the UK.
According to its study, Ofcom found that though the average broadband speed increased from 5.2Mbit/s in May 2010 to 6.2Mbit/s in November-December 2010, it was still about 45% of the average advertised broadband speed of 13.8Mbit/s.
Average download speeds remain less than half of "up to" speeds advertised by some Internet Service Providers (ISPs), particularly for current generation copper-based ADSL services, said the regulatory body.
Ofcom will submit its report to the current Committee for Advertising Practice (CAP) and Broadcast Committee for Advertising Practice (BCAP) consultation on broadband speeds advertising.
Among the recommendations the regulatory body is making are speeds mentioned in broadband advertising should be based on a Typical Speeds Range (TSR), so consumers have a clearer idea of what speeds to expect.
Ofcom also recommends that the TSR must have at least equal prominence to any maximum "up to" speed, and that a maximum speed must be used only if it is actually achievable in practice.
Ofcom chief executive Ed Richards said ISPs need to do more to ensure they are giving customers clear and accurate information about the services they provide and the factors that may affect the actual speeds customers will receive.
Richards said, "It is important that the rules around broadband advertising change so that consumers are able to make more informed decisions based on the adverts they see, and that advertisers are able to communicate more clearly how their products compare to others in the market."
