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Broadband providers have 'green light to mislead'
Thursday 29th September 2011, by Sam Pickard
New guidance issued by the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) has been criticised by consumer group Which? for effectively giving advertisers carte blanche to mislead consumers about broadband deals.
The committee's guidance, which was commissioned by the Advertising Standards Authority, is to allow providers to advertise maximum speed claims as long as they can prove at least ten per cent of their customers can achieve them.
Additionally, the guidance states that advertisers should include "appropriate" information to ensure consumers are not misled, which may include a proviso that most subscribers will get considerably slower internet.
Meanwhile, broadband providers were told they are allowed to claim "unlimited" deals as long as limitations affecting the speed or usage of the service are "moderate" and clearly explained within the advertisement.
The guidance will not officially come into effect until April 1st 2012, but CAP is recommending that providers consider it when producing new campaigns as well.
Responding to the recommendations, Which? executive director Richard Lloyd said broadband providers have been given the "green light to mislead consumers".
"The rules say that providers don't have to state what range of speeds most of their customers experience," he said.
"That means advertising campaigns can now be based on the experience of a privileged few."
Mr Lloyd also said the clampdown on unlimited service claims does not go far enough, saying unlimited "should mean unlimited".
"Ofcom should step in where the advertising regulators have failed, and make sure consumers can't be misled about the broadband service they're paying for," he concluded.
Earlier this month, Ofcom published the latest data on the complaints it has received from consumers about various telecoms providers between April and June this year.
TalkTalk topped the list of the most complained-about broadband providers in the UK, while Virgin Media received the least complaints.
Categories: Broadband Products, TalkTalk, Virgin Media
