50mbps broadband 'more marketing flag than useful product'

Broadband speeds of up to 50mbps are more about providers "being able to wave a marketing flag" about being the fastest on the market, rather than a product that could benefit consumers, an industry expert has said.

Mark Jackson, editor-in-chief of ISPreview.co.uk said that while companies can boast about being the fastest, most users will only get a "tiny fraction" of the top speed because bandwidth is still shared.

His comments come after Virgin Broadband announced plans earlier this week to launch a 50mbps service in the UK.

Mr Jackson added that increased downloading of things like TV shows and films in coming years could increase demand for higher speeds but warned that Britain's broadband infrastructure needs improving to cope with this future demand.

"The last thing you want as an ISP is for content to develop ahead of your ability to adapt, which is a large part of the concern surround the UK's lack of next-generation broadband infrastructure," he said.

According to a recent report by Broadband Expert, the average broadband speed in the UK is 2.95mbps.