Pink Connect Blog

Posts Tagged ‘ofcom’

According to the latest report by ‘billmonitor’, created and run by Oxford University mathematicians, UK Mobile users are wasting £4.9bn a year on the wrong mobile tariff!

At Pink Connect, we have always said that 82% of business mobile customers are on the wrong tariff. Billmonitor says this percentage is 76% for all mobile customers.  Since it doesn’t take data and text into consideration this figure could have been higher!

Due to fear of going above the allowance offered in their tariffs (named as “bill shock”), customers typically bought FOUR times more talk time that they actually used.

The report claims that if everyone used the right tariff, the UK could stop wasting £4.9bn a year that is being spent on wrong tariffs. The task of choosing right tariff is difficult as there are over 8m contract permutations available to mobile customers!

You can read full story on this on BBC website by clicking on the following link:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-12996175

At Pink Connect, we offer FREE mobile bill analysis and advice to select the best suitable tariff for your business. We are committed to bringing down the wasted £4.9bn spent on wrong tariffs!

About the blog author: Raj Deokar, is the director of Pink Connect (Northampton) Ltd.  Raj has got over 13 years experience in Telecommunications.

You can reach Raj Deokar on 01604 217271.

Original article from BBC

Britons are not getting the broadband services they are being sold, research by the regulator Ofcom suggests.

Its analysis of broadband speeds in the UK shows that, for some services, 97% of consumers do not get the advertised speed.

It also shows a growing gap between the claims ISPs make for broadband and the speed being delivered.

To fix the problem, Ofcom is revamping the code of conduct for ISPs and asking for changes to how broadband is sold.

Read the rest of this entry »

ORIGINAL ARTICLE AT PCPRO

Two members of the House of Lords have launched a scathing attack on BT and Britain’s broadband providers.

In a frank and exclusive interview with PC Pro, the peers call for:

• BT and broadband providers to stop “buck-passing” when it comes to dealing with faults on customers’ lines
• ISPs to deliver a minimum connection speed of 2Mbits/sec, with a minimum level of service stipulated in writing
• The “arrogant” regulator Ofcom to force broadband providers to tell the truth about actual connection speeds

The Lords, who are currently debating the controversial Digital Economy Bill, want Britain’s broadband providers and BT to get their act together. Speaking exclusively to PC Pro, Lord Corbett of Castle Vale said it was unacceptable for customers to be bounced between BT and their broadband provider when it comes to dealing with problems with their internet connection.

“If a customer reports a fault to BT, or any other landline provider, the line provider has got to own that fault or faults until cleared,” Lord Corbett said.

“If the customer reports a broadband fault to their ISP, and the ISP believes the fault to be due to the landline, the ISP has to take ownership of the fault until cleared.”

“The consumer must have a one-stop shop. The buck passing of fault reporting being the responsibility of the customer must stop. How can a non-technical customer expect to be bounced from call centre to call centre?”

Lord Corbett wants broadband customers to be provided with a written minimum-line speed after the initial line-training period has elapsed, so that broadband customers can demand their line is returned to the initial speed after any repairs are made.

Fellow peer Lord Erroll claims many lines have deteriorated beyond the point where they can carry decent internet traffic. “BT, or any other line provider, has a duty to keep the lines up to standard,” he said. “Their bosses are sitting on the fence, hoping for a cash injection. The lines have become unsuitable for internet use, even if they are usable for the telephone.”

Minimum speeds

The Government has pledged to deliver 2Mbits/sec broadband to the whole of the UK by 2012 as part of its universal service commitment, although there’s widespread concern that broadband providers will only deliver “up to 2Mbits/sec lines” that offer only a fraction of the target speed.

Both lords claim that isn’t enough. “BT (or other landline provider) and the broadband provider must deliver and sustain a minimum stated level of service of 2Mbits/sec at the customers’ premises for a modern line,” Lord Corbett said.

“2Mbits/sec delivered to the customers’ house is a bare minimum for a modern line,” Lord Erroll agreed.

No more lies

The peers have also called on Ofcom and the advertising watchdogs to clamp down on the inflated speeds advertised by broadband providers.

“The industry has now passed the time to get its act together and must now be held to account,” said Des Hughes, a researcher and advisor to Lord Corbett.

“This is an industry that appears to wish to change the long-held definitions of words in the Oxford Dictionary. ‘Unlimited’ should be what it says – no small print. In the case of ‘up to 8Mbits/sec’ in relation to speed, it should no longer be allowed, especially when 2Mbits/sec is the current maximum speeed in a known area. The industry should be forced to state the IP throughput that is useable by the customer.”

And Hughes is calling on Ofcom to put the broadband house in order. “Britain’s broadband leaders, Ofcom included, appear to have been arrogant and, to an extent, ambitionless and appear not to be considering the long-term gains from co-ordinating and co-operating.”

Author: Barry Collins ORIGINAL ARTICLE AT PCPRO