Cable giant Virgin Media UK has today launched a new campaign against rival DSL ( ADSL , ADSL2+ ) based broadband ISPs, specifically those that continue to advertise misleading internet service speeds (e.g. "up to 24Mbps", which according to Ofcom's data can only average 6.5Mbps).

The campaign is accompanied by a new website, www.stopthebroadbandcon.org, which urges frustrated web users to make their voice heard and supports calls for all broadband providers to publish the real speeds they deliver to customers. As you might expect it's also being used as a promotional tool for Virgin Media itself.



The marketing stunt naturally plays to Virgin Media's strength as a cable operator, which means that they are capable of delivering faster and more honest broadband speeds than their mass-market and largely copper line based DSL rivals (e.g. BT , Sky Broadband , TalkTalk , Orange etc.). This is perhaps best illustrated by Ofcom's May 2010 study (full details).

Headline/Advertised speed - (Average actual speed)
‘Up to’ 8/10Mbit/s DSL packages - (3.3Mbit/s)
‘Up to’ 20/24Mbit/s DSL packages - (6.5Mbit/s)
‘Up to’ 10Mbit/s cable services - (8.7Mbit/s)
‘Up to’ 20Mbit/s cable services - (15.7Mbit/s)

It's interesting to note that Virgin Media UK's 10Mbps and 20Mbps Cable Modem services deliver average download speeds that are roughly twice as fast as DSL packages with the same or a similar headline speed. However in fairness Ofcom's study has a somewhat small sample size and didn't include any of the smaller and more reliable DSL providers.

According to new ICM research, which was carried out on behalf of Virgin Media, 67% of consumers are highly frustrated with ISPs who routinely fail to deliver on their promises and 9 out of 10 find current broadband adverts to be misleading. Some 93% of respondents agreed that the rules should be changed to prevent ISPs making a speed claim unless it matches the typical real world experience from a clear majority of customers.

As it happens Ofcom is already working to toughen its "Voluntary" Code of Practice on Broadband Speeds (Version 2) and the Advertising Standards Authority ( ASA ) is also busy reviewing misleading speed and "unlimited" advertising service claims.

Naturally Virgin Media already publishes the typical average speeds its customers receive each month at www.virginmedia.com/speedhonesty. It should also be said that DSL broadband services have begun the painfully slow process of being phased out in favour of new "fibre optic based" broadband solutions, although this could take more than a decade to achieve and might not resolve all of the problems.