Customer satisfaction reflects broadband speeds

Download speeds are the most important factor in determining how satisfied customers are with their broadband service, according to new research.

Comparison site Top 10 Broadband found that the three fastest providers scored highest amongst consumers.

Jessica McArdle, from Top 10 Broadband, said: "This report sends an indisputable message to broadband providers to speed up or face the wrath of disappointed customers."

The study found that O2 was the best provider for both speed and customer satisfaction, with an average speed of 6.41Mb and scoring 3.82 out of 5 with consumers. This stands in stark contrast with the performance of Tesco, which recorded an average download speed of 1.42Mb and received an average ranking of 2.86.

The average speed on over 90,000 connections tested was just 3.18Mb, far lower than many consumers thought they would receive when they signed up.

Ofcom chief executive Ed Richards recently urged providers to market connections speeds in a more transparent fashion.

He said: "We would encourage the ISPs to provide more hard information up-front to consumers."