23 October 2008
Broadband users remain confused by the download limits imposed by their providers, according to new research from uSwitch.com. The independent price comparison and switching service found that nine out of ten consumers do not understand the limits on their service. Some 6.2 million wrongly believe there is no cap on their usage, while one million have almost reached or exceeded their limit in the last year as a result of their confusion. uSwitch.com suggests some providers are misleading consumers by stating that their packages are unlimited when in fact they are not, as fair usage policies allow them to place caps on a customer's service if their usage is deemed to be excessive. Head of Communications Tim Wolfenden says: "As providers aren't choosing to be fully transparent about this issue, people need to be savvy when choosing their broadband packages and pay close attention to the small print." Meanwhile, Virgin Media claimed recently that many broadband speed testing websites are giving out inaccurate readings and suggested they will be unable to cope with new superfast services.