Come on Aussies - let's get clarity on broadband

Stuart Corner
Saturday, 29 September 2007 07:38

Opinion and Analysis

It gives as an example an ISP that has undertaken appropriate network tests as follows:
- 23Mbps was the maximum download speed measured under laboratory conditions using high quality software, hardware and equipment, including copper of less than 500 metres;
- 1000 actual services-in-operation were measured
- 10 services were measured as achieving download speeds of at least 22Mbps
- 500 services were measured as achieving download speeds of at least 20Mbps.

Just this week I saw an example of a broadband ad that appears to ignore these guidelines and is an example the issues that UK users are lobbying against. A full page ad for broadband with "up to 20Mbps" writ large and, in the fine print, "Around 70 percent of xxx users can achieve speeds in excess of 10 Mbps, Actual speeds will vary with distance...etc, etc.

And there have been recent complaints from  online gamers that at peak times their access rate slows way down - which would be the result of parsimony in the provisioning of backhaul capacity by their ISP.

Maybe we need a 'Crystal Clear Broadband' campaign in Australia to get ISPs to lift their game.