MPs have backed calls for broadband providers to give
businesses in rural areas equal download speeds to those in urban
areas.
Computer Weekly readers have complained that they pay high
charges for broadband connections outside major towns, and that
often the
speeds are far slower than those advertised.
Theresa May, shadow leader of the House of Commons, has tabled a
parliamentary petition calling on the government and Ofcom to
improve access to broadband services in rural areas.
May said that small businesses based in the countryside required
quick and reliable broadband services, but that access was still
a problem for many rural communities across the country.
"I strongly believe that it is vital for rural areas to have an
equal level of service to those in urban areas," she said in a
statement.
Twenty-two MPs have signed the petition, known as an early day
motion. They are calling for businesses with similar problems to
encourage their local MPs to sign up too.
In a separate move, Mark Durkan, Social Democratic & Labour
Party MP for Foyle, Northern Ireland,
filed an early day motion for ISPs to provide upfront
information on the download speeds users can expect before signing
contracts.
He called on
Ofcom to set a
longer cooling-off period for customers signing up to an ISP so
they can be satisfied that their actual connection speed matches
the provider's promise.
"It should not be a lottery about what broadband speeds
businesses get. ISPs should provide clear information upfront so
customers know what they are paying for. Where businesses find it
isn't fit for purpose, they should be able to move penalty-free or
have charges adjusted to fit the speeds they get," Durkan said.
Broadband remains a problem for Computer Weekly readers.
David Bradbury, IT manager at solicitors Ashton Graham,
sometimes uses his home BT internet connection to provide remote
support to other members of staff. The advertised connection speed
is 8mbps, but actual download speed from the internet varies from
1.2mbps to 400K, he said.
Gary Hines, IT manager at Sonomatic, said his company has an
office in Aberdeen and pays BT £24.99 a month for an 8mbps
connection but only gets around 1mbps down and a "horrific" 233K
back up.
BT said it has always made clear in its advertising that the
speeds it offers are "up to" 8mbps, and explains that this headline
speed depends on a range of factors, including distance from the
exchange.
Robert Willcox, a lecturer in developing technologies at the
University of Bath, said that any new Ofcom directives must include
minimum levels of service in contracts and should apply to
individuals as well as businesses.
"I think ISPs should tailor packages to suit the actual
bandwidth speed achieved," said reader Andy Price, an IT technician
at Birmingham City University.
Get it off your chest
Do you have trouble with your broadband connection or leased
line? Got a recommendation for Ofcom? E-mail your comments to
john-paul.kamath@rbi.co.uk