Broadband crackdown reveals five major providers are offering 'bare minimum' speeds

A crackdown on advertised broadband speeds has revealed that customers are paying the UK's biggest providers over £20 a month to receive the lowest acceptable internet speed.

From today broadband firms are banned from selling internet packages with "up to" speeds and must instead show the average speed received at peak times, under new Advertising Standards Authority rules. 

The change has seen many advertised broadband speeds slashed by nearly half overnight.

Basic internet packages from Sky, BT, EE, Plusnet and Now Broadband which were previously advertised as delivering up to 17 Mbps, are now advertising speeds of just 10Mbps, which is the minimum internet speed most households need to meet their needs, according to Ofcom.     

Basic package prices remain relatively unchanged, with monthly fees of between £18 and £25.

In addition advertised speeds for Sky and Talk Talk's basic packages have reduced from 17 Mbps to 11Mbps. 

The crackdown on misleading claims means companies can only advertise download speeds that are available to at least 50 per cent of customers at peak time.

At present broadband providers can promote an “up to” speed that is available to at least 10 per cent of customers.

Vodafone was the only major firm which failed to adhere to the changes by the deadline by continuing to display "up to" internet speeds on its website on May 23. 

Alex Neill, Which? Managing Director of Home Services, said: “These changes will mean that broadband providers will no longer be able to entice customers with unrealistic adverts promising speeds that most of their customers may never get.

“We know that fast and reliable broadband is what really matters to broadband customers and have been campaigning for these changes. We will now be watching closely to make sure providers are finally living up to their promises.”

Chief Executive of the Advertising Standards Authority, Guy Parker said: “From today, consumers will see a difference in broadband ads that make claims about speed as this new, tougher, standard is enforced.  We’ll be making sure consumers aren’t misled by speed claims in ads, not least because choosing the right broadband deal has become such an important part of running a household or business.”