UK ISPs are failing to keep their promises

The average user receives a broadband connection at half the advertised speed

UK broadband users are only receiving half the connection speed promised by their internet service providers (ISPs).

A month-long study of 41,230 connections found that the average user receives only 48 per cent of the maximum speed advertised by their ISP.

The greatest discrepancies lie at the upper end of the market, according to independent site Broadband Expert.

The average connection for a 16 Mbit/s" package was actually 8.6 Mbit/s, while the typical 2 Mbit/s connection achieved a slightly lower speed of 1.8 Mbit/s.

“It seems clear that providers are promising speeds far greater than they are capable of delivering with top-end packages," said William Harvey, technical director at Broadband Expert.

"If the ISPs set a realistic expectation of the speeds that can be achieved, they are much less likely to upset consumers than those who advertise fast speeds and under deliver”.