Over three quarters of UK broadband customers have slower speed than expected, but wont pay premium prices for superfast speeds
Over three quarters of broadband customers in the UK have a slow connection than expected, but were still not willing to pay premium prices to receive superfast broadband, research has concluded.
Ofcom accredited broadband comparison site Broadbandchoices.co.uk, which polled almost 42,000 broadband users, has found that 77% of British broadband customer had a connection that was slower than they thought, but were still unwilling to pay premium prices for superfast services.
Less than half (42%) said that they wouldn’t even pay £10 a month for a superfast connection, while only 20% said that they would be willing to pay £15 each month for such a speed. Strangely, a higher number (22%) said they would pay even more, £20 a month, for superfast speeds.
A small number (£5) also claimed that their broadband was so poor, they would pay over £50 or a connection that could be relied upon to deliver high speeds.
Broadband expert, Dominic Baliszewski, commented:“Broadband speed is an extremely contentious issue with many customers experiencing far slower speeds than they were led to believe. The rules regarding broadband speed advertising were tightened at the start of April but this is too little, too late for thousands of households who are now waking up to the fact that the Ferrari they thought they were paying for is little faster than a Fiat.
“Broadband providers need to win back the trust of disillusioned customers. It is hardly surprising that bill-payers are unwilling to shell out a premium for a superfast product when they have been let down so badly on the slower packages. The man in the street has little understanding that superfast fibre services deliver speeds much closer to those claimed by the providers.
“Ultimately, the way in which broadband is advertised needs a fundamental rethink. Until we have a stable broadband infrastructure offering stable speeds, the quality of service that customers experience will continue to be a postcode lottery.”
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