Broadband ad rules are 'complete and utter joke', says culture minister

Culture minister Ed Vaizey has said that rules governing how companies such as Sky and BT are allowed to advertise broadband speeds to attract customers are “misleading” and a “complete and utter joke”.

Under the UK advertising code, which is administered by the Advertising Standards Authority, companies are allowed to advertise their top speeds even if they are available to only 10% of customers.

“It’s ridiculous,” Vaizey told the House of Commons culture, media and sport select committee.

“The idea that if you can deliver to 10% of houses the broadband speeds you are advertising on a large billboard and get away with it seems to be a complete and utter joke, and I have told that to their [the ASA’s] face.”

In January, the ASA announced it is to crack down on the way companies including Sky, BT, Virgin Media, TalkTalk, EE, Three and O2 advertise the confusing advertising of prices of broadband packages.

This prompted Virgin Media, which is able to offer superfast broadband through its cable network, to call for the scope to be increased to look at the veracity of “up to” speed claims in ads.

“It is good to have independent regulators,” said Vaizey.

“But I also feel as a politician and minister in this space I want to have the opportunity to express my frustrations. I am frustrated.

“The way broadband speeds are advertised are misleading and I’d like to see them changed. I’ve made my views clear and the ASA will be aware of my concerns.”

A spokesman for the ASA said: “Our position on broadband speed claims in ads is based on extensive work undertaken in recent years, including a full public consultation on new guidance. We are an independent, evidence-based regulator and that underpins our regulation. We are, however, aware of the minister’s concerns, and we are carefully considering his views.”