Broadband providers must be held to account when they falsely advertise connection speeds, it has been suggested.

Speaking to PC Pro, Des Hughes, a researcher and advisor to Lord Corbett of Castle Vale, said media regulator Ofcom should take further action to prevent internet service providers (ISPs) misleading customers through their marketing campaigns.

"The industry has now passed the time to get its act together and must now be held to account," he commented.

Mr Hughes claimed that if an ISP offers an 'unlimited' broadband service, this is what the customer should receive.

"In the case of 'up to 8Mb' in relation to speed, it should no longer be allowed, especially when 2Mb is the current maximum speed in a known area," he told the news provider.

"The industry should be forced to state the IP throughput that is useable by the customer."

Earlier this year, Ofcom reported that the average speed delivered by ISPs is around 57 per cent of what is claimed in advertising campaigns.