Broadband News

Users unwilling to pay for superfast broadband

Wednesday, 08 April 2009

By Garnet Roach garnet@consumerchoices.co.uk

Cash-strapped broadband users are unwilling to pay extra for superfast broadband services, according to research.

A survey by BroadbandChoices.co.uk showed that despite consumers’ desire for superfast broadband services, 66 per cent do not want to pay extra for the benefits of a high speed connection.

This is more than double the figure from the same survey in 2007, where only 30 per cent of people were unwilling to pay extra for faster downloads.

Michael Phillips, BroadbandChoices.co.uk product director, said: “Given the current economic climate, consumers are obviously very aware of their monthly outgoings and the need to keep these costs as low as possible.

“Speed is a sensitive topic at present as recent statistics from Ofcom revealed that on average UK broadband customers receive only 49 per cent of advertised headline speeds with the actual speed experienced averaging at 3.6Mb - a long way off from ‘superfast.’

“Consumers may be reluctant to upgrade to a superfast service when they currently aren’t even getting what they pay for on slower speeds,” he added.