SoylentNews

Ofcom tells Broadband Firms: '30 Days to Sort your Speeds'

posted by mrpg on Friday March 02 2018, @03:04AM   
from the put-it-in-gear dept.

Arthur T Knackerbracket has found the following story:

UK watchdog Ofcom tells broadband firms: '30 days to sort your speeds'

Ofcom is tightening the screws – sort of – on broadband providers that play fast and loose with speed promises by imposing a deadline to fix problems or allow customers’ to end their contract early and without a penalty.

Punters are able to exit a deal if velocity slips below a minimum guaranteed level and the provider can’t rectify it, but providers currently have an unlimited resolution time before letting customers leave.

The major update to the code of practice, to be implemented in a year from now, will mean that providers must promote “realistic” speed estimates and “minimum” speed guarantees at the point of sale.

[...] Average download speeds for residential punters in peak hours (8pm to 10pm) are 34.6Mbit/s, and average maximum speeds are 39.1Mbit/s, according to the regulator.

[...] All of the major broadband players have signed up to Ofcom’s code of practice - it covers around 90 per cent of customers in the UK. But there is no legal imperative for these companies to comply with the code.

-- submitted from IRC

---

Original Submission

• Re:Don't cry too loud, USA Re:Don't cry too loud, USA (Score: 3, Insightful) by bob_super on Friday March 02 2018, @03:57AM (3 children)

  by bob_super (1357) on Friday March 02 2018, @03:57AM (#646200)

  Obama respected the rule that he needed two R guys in there, with three D guys.

  I thoroughly disagree with the "all the same" view. You must not have been paying attention to the (powerless) statements from the two D members every time Pai pushes the Telcos' agenda.

  Parent

  Starting Score:	1		point
  Moderation		+1
  Insightful=1, Total=1
  Extra 'Insightful' Modifier		0
  Karma-Bonus Modifier		+1
  Total Score:		3

• Re:Don't cry too loud, USA Re:Don't cry too loud, USA (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday March 02 2018, @08:51AM (2 children)

  by Anonymous Coward on Friday March 02 2018, @08:51AM (#646289)

  Obama respected the rule that he needed two R guys in there, with three D guys.

  The rule, huh? Maybe Obama should have grown a pair and been more like FDR; that man was ruthless. Instead, Obama was a typical corporatist with a weak incrementalism agenda; better than the Republicans, but that's not saying much. The Democrats, as they are, are just pathetic; we need to primary the corporate Democrats and replace them with real progressives.

  Enough with the 'lesser of two evil'ism.

  Parent

  • Re:Don't cry too loud, USA Re:Don't cry too loud, USA (Score: 2) by DeathMonkey on Friday March 02 2018, @07:23PM (1 child)

    by DeathMonkey (1380) on Friday March 02 2018, @07:23PM (#646562) Journal

    Only assholes respect the rule of law, eh?

    Parent

    • Re:Don't cry too loud, USA (Score: 1) by Sulla on Saturday March 03 2018, @12:33AM

      by Sulla (5173) on Saturday March 03 2018, @12:33AM (#646728) Journal

      Only when its a good excuse to help your friends donors companies wanting to make america better.

      --
      Ceterum censeo Sinae esse delendam

      Parent