ISPs are being more upfront with consumers about the broadband...
ISPs are being more upfront with consumers about the broadband services they offer, but could do more, the U.K. Office of Communications said Tuesday. December 2011-January 2012 mystery shopping research showed that ISPs who signed a voluntary code of practice…
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on broadband speeds are giving consumers better information through online sales channels and phones than they did during a 2009 mystery shopping exercise, it said. The code requires signers to provide clear and accurate information on their broadband services at the point of sale, it said. Ninety-three percent of mystery shopping telephone inquiries were given some sort of speed estimate, either in the form of a range or a point estimate or both, it said. However, some ISPs’ phone sales processes remain weak, with many mystery shoppers not given speed information unless they explicitly requested it, Ofcom said. Broadband speed estimates were provided without prompting in 59 percent of all phone calls, it said. All code signers except two small providers also offer a speed checker on their websites to give customers estimated access line speeds, it said. Ofcom discussed the results with the largest ISPs and asked poorer performers why they didn’t provide unprompted information, it said. Some said compliance shortfalls reflected the need for better staff training or that speed estimates aren’t generally offered until the agent believes a consumer is ready to place an order, it said. “We have reiterated to all ISPs that speed estimates should be provided as early as practicable in the sales process,” it said. The regulator has also updated its consumer guides on choosing a broadband service and on broadband speeds, it said.