ISP Review investigates broadband usage limits

BT has funded the price reduction for their new 512k service by getting consumers to pay a hefty start-up fee. Our research shows that start-up costs are one of the biggest barriers to getting broadband and this is one of the factors we looked at when designing our new 256k service.”

Overall the feedback points towards a mild acceptance of capping, albeit suggested that these be flexible and not set to any great/restrictive level.

Conclusion

Ultimately an effective ‘broadband’ technology must be able to separate itself, in more ways than speed, from its older dialup cousin. It is the definition of a service with certain associated expectations, qualities that public advertising and media spin all portray; such services have set themselves a difficult standard.

Imposing restrictions that hamper the flexibility and ideals advertised alongside these services could damage credibility and cause anger when expectations are not met. Still, like it or not, capping will probably become more common and the onus will be on ISPs to make their restrictions clear (not in small print!) and offer up more flexible options alongside.

Provided this can be done then a restriction becomes more of an option, a choice allowing greater diversity. The UK ISP industry is a competitive one and ISPs are unlikely to offer less if they don’t have to, thus there will still be choice.

Despite what many have come to believe, broadband, just like dialup before it, is not an ‘unlimited’ technology. Thankfully and much to the contradiction of original belief, very few ISPs have to date adopted such a cap.

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