Posted: 18th May, 2011 By: MarkJ

The UK Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has informed ISPreview.co.uk that they're getting
close to concluding their consultation on clearer broadband ISP advertising of internet access speeds and "
unlimited" usage allowances.
The original proposals were set out at the end of January (
here) and included a multitude of options for tackling
bad ISP marketing practices, such as stricter rules on promotions of headline "
up to" speeds and the banning of "
unlimited" usage allowance claims when used alongside a restrictive
Fair Usage Policy (FUP).
An ASA Spokesman told ISPreview.co.uk:
"The Code Policy team on CAP and BCAP has been assessing all the responses to the consultation and will be publishing new guidance in due course. We don't, unfortunately, have a set date when this will be published but it is likely to be in the summer."
The ASA, which has been working alongside the
Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice (BCAP) and
Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP), couldn't say precisely when the new guidance would surface. However, they are "
hopeful" of it surfacing during the "
early summer" (i.e. June or July 2011) period.
The ASA also told us that they were aware of how some ISPs have been taking a new approach to "
unlimited" advertising, such as by writing "
all you can eat" or "
download as much as you want". The authority was keen to stress that its new guidance would therefore "
apply to any marketing communication that implies directly, or indirectly that a telecommunications package is unlimited".
Once published the "
guidance" will apply immediately to campaigns developed after the publication. A
grace period of six months will apply to existing campaigns. Recent changes to the ASA rules mean that the authority can now tackle both external and internal promotions on the ISPs own website.
UPDATE 12:38pmCorrected BCAP to
Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice.