A few words from Richard Branson
![Sir Richard Branson and iJustine]()
If you regularly use the web, I would ask you to spend just a few moments reading this.
Virgin prides itself on being innovative and challenging the norms but my views on how to treat customers are pretty traditional. Whether it’s a topped up pint in the pub, the full forty miles-to-the–gallon or broadband speeds - we should all get what we pay for. At Virgin, we believe in being honest about the service we provide. But there’s something going on in broadband advertising that’s just plain wrong.
Some Internet Service Providers (ISPs) just aren’t keeping up with their promises. Many of them are advertising superfast broadband speeds they know full well they cannot deliver, offering speeds of ‘up to’ 20Mb but delivering an average of just 6.5Mb. And what does this mean for the customer at the end of the line? Buffering, delays and not getting the broadband you are paying for.
Faster broadband means better broadband, whether you’re surfing the web, watching TV online, downloading music or sharing photos. More speed also means more bandwidth, so the whole family can get online at the same time without the service grinding to a halt. Staying connected is central to our lives and we all deserve broadband that we can trust.
I’m challenging all broadband providers to be honest with their customers. And I’m asking you to challenge your provider as well.
Virgin Media is already delivering the fastest broadband in the UK and it’s prepared to be open about the exact broadband speeds it delivers. It’s the first ISP in the UK to publish the typical real world speeds its customers receive each month. This means every existing and potential customer can go online and see for themselves exactly what speeds they can reasonably expect. All other ISPs should be doing the same, so you can make an informed choice about how to spend your money, rather than having to rely on the fairytales and broken promises of current broadband advertising.
There’s a lot at stake here. If ISPs can get away with keeping customers in the dark about the speeds they actually provide, there’s little incentive for companies to invest in better services and improve your broadband.
We’re calling for change and, if you want to make sure that happens, please add your name to the Stop the Broadband Con petition.
Sir Richard Branson
Founder, Virgin Group
If you regularly use the web, I would ask you to spend just a few moments reading this.
Virgin prides itself on being innovative and challenging the norms but my views on how to treat customers are pretty traditional. Whether it’s a topped up pint in the pub, the full forty miles-to-the–gallon or broadband speeds - we should all get what we pay for. At Virgin, we believe in being honest about the service we provide. But there’s something going on in broadband advertising that’s just plain wrong.
Some Internet Service Providers (ISPs) just aren’t keeping up with their promises. Many of them are advertising superfast broadband speeds they know full well they cannot deliver, offering speeds of ‘up to’ 20Mb but delivering an average of just 6.5Mb. And what does this mean for the customer at the end of the line? Buffering, delays and not getting the broadband you are paying for.
Faster broadband means better broadband, whether you’re surfing the web, watching TV online, downloading music or sharing photos. More speed also means more bandwidth, so the whole family can get online at the same time without the service grinding to a halt. Staying connected is central to our lives and we all deserve broadband that we can trust.
I’m challenging all broadband providers to be honest with their customers. And I’m asking you to challenge your provider as well.
Virgin Media is already delivering the fastest broadband in the UK and it’s prepared to be open about the exact broadband speeds it delivers. It’s the first ISP in the UK to publish the typical real world speeds its customers receive each month. This means every existing and potential customer can go online and see for themselves exactly what speeds they can reasonably expect. All other ISPs should be doing the same, so you can make an informed choice about how to spend your money, rather than having to rely on the fairytales and broken promises of current broadband advertising.
There’s a lot at stake here. If ISPs can get away with keeping customers in the dark about the speeds they actually provide, there’s little incentive for companies to invest in better services and improve your broadband.
We’re calling for change and, if you want to make sure that happens, please add your name to the Stop the Broadband Con petition.
Sir Richard Branson
Founder, Virgin Group