Leading internet service provider (ISP) Virgin Media has pledged to be more transparent than ever over the download speeds it makes available to customers over its cable network.

The firm has vowed to publish, on a monthly basis, the typical broadband speeds achieved by its consumers.

A study conducted by Virgin Media discovered that nine out of ten consumers believe broadband advertising is misleading - and now the ISP wants to rebuild trust in the industry.

Jon James, Executive Director of Broadband at Virgin Media, noted that people are paying for faster and faster broadband but are being "ripped off by unscrupulous providers" who cannot deliver their promised speeds "to even a single customer".

"A change in advertising is urgently needed to build consumer confidence in super-fast broadband and the industry more generally," he claimed.

"I hope other ISPs will quickly follow Virgin Media's lead by disclosing their own monthly performance data so people can make an informed decision about how to spend their money."