ISP Plusnet Reveals New Average Advertised Broadband Speeds

Low cost UK ISP Plusnet and partner John Lewis have joined several other providers by revealing what their average advertised broadband download speeds will become when the new guidelines are adopted next Wednesday. They’ll also be the first to include an average for upload speed (well done).

At present broadband ISPs promote headline speeds using the “up to” prefix, which requires that advertised speeds should be achievable by at least 10% of their customers (i.e. the fastest 10% on a specific connection). This only applies to generally advertised speeds (i.e. those shown to everybody on a public website or in print) and is separate from the personal estimate that many fixed line providers offer after you start the order process.

However, the above rule is due to end on 23rd May 2018, when the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) adopts a new guideline that effectively requires all providers to start promoting “average speeds“. This reflects a median speed measured at peak time (8pm to 10pm) on their packages (here).

So far a handful of ISPs have already begun promoting the new average (Sky Broadband, Utility Warehouse and the Post Office etc.) and we expect all of the other mainstream ISPs to follow suit next week. Either that or they’ll adopt the even more confusing tactic of simply not bothering to display any speeds, which makes it more difficult for all except techys to tell the difference between products.

Today we can add Plusnet and John Lewis to the above list, although their new rates won’t be going live until next week. As you’d expect their speeds aren’t too different from the others but they do also show upload averages on their FTTC packages, which the others don’t.

PlusNet / JohnLewis Advertised Speed Change

Unlimited Broadband (ADSL2+)
OLD SPEED: ‘up to’ 17Mbps Download

NEW SPEED: 10Mbps Average Download

Unlimited Fibre (FTTC / VDSL2)
OLD SPEED: ‘up to’ 38Mbps Download / 9.5Mbps Upload

NEW SPEED: 36Mbps Average Download / 9Mbps Average Upload

Unlimited Fibre Extra (FTTC / VDSL2)
OLD SPEED: ‘up to’ 76Mbps Download / 19Mbps Upload

NEW SPEED: 66Mbps Average Download / 18Mbps Average Upload

On our own ISP Listings we will continue to show the old and new speeds side-by-side until such time as the industry has completely swapped. Many smaller and alternative network providers tend to drag their feet over such things.