Virgin launches campaign against broadband 'con'

A new campaign is urging broadband customers to speak up about "misleading" advertised connection speeds.

Virgin Media has launched the initiative, saying figures from Ofcom show internet service providers (ISPs) that offer download rates of "up to" 20Mbps or 24Mbps actually deliver average of just 6.5Mbps.

It added that a poll by ICM found around 90 per cent of consumers think broadband advertising is misleading.

Furthermore, 93 per cent agreed that ISPs should be prevented from saying they offer a particular download rate unless it matches the "typical real world experience" of a majority of their subscribers.

Virgin Media is calling on broadband users, including businesses with VoIP services, to sign a petition at stopthebroadbandcon.org calling for an end to advertised speeds that "not a single customer can receive".

Jon James, the company's executive director of broadband, said: "People are paying for super-fast broadband but receiving a service stuck in the slow lane."

Earlier this week, BE Wholesale called on ISPs to up their game after a poll by the firm showed 38 per cent of businesses do not think their internet connection would be able to support video conferencing or VoIP services.