ASA slaps down BT over 'misleading' broadband claims

The ASA is a powerless waste of space

That is all

BSkyB makes one complaint about BT, and the ASA listens.

Thousands of us make complaints about BT, and the ASA does nothing.

ASA

Has the ASA ever made an enforcement ruling while an ad was still in widespread use? If not, it's entirely a waste of space, especially if it cannot force repeat offenders (such as ISPs) to stop being naughty.

Who cares?

The whole thing is so flakey that data rates fluctuate virtually every day anyway.. I'd much rather they commit to protecting whats left of our privacy. I'd also love to see the profit breakdowns of peoples payments for service as opposed to what they get paid for selling data on us. If it was possible to function within society without any form of connection I'd seriously consider it.. They're all as bad as each other..

Stupid

It seems you can basically make any claims you like in an advert, generate sales/revenue immediately, then worry about a slap on the wrist or a small fine from the ASA about a year later. Surely that's completely arse about face?

Unless you're going to impose such massive fines as a deterrent for blatently flouting the rules. Oh, not that either.

Bored

How many times must the same drivel be peddled by ISP

Personally I am waiting for ronseal to become an ISP, no fuss, no mess, no bother, does exactly what it says on the tin.

Cat amongst pigeons

I recently had a nice BT Openreach man come to install my Sky fibre broadband. He was honest enough to let me know that I could expect up to 40mb download and 10mb upload. In real terms it'll fluctuate between 35/38 and 7/10 after a couple of days. True to his word, that's what I got. The infrastructure all seems to be owned by BT and the engineers who come to install the line to your property seems to be owned by BT too. As an end user/consumer I don't really care who provides my service as long as I get what I pay for. AFAIK Sky are the only provider that don't traffic shape in any manner. That's why they get my business.

I'm just sayin'

BT at it yet again

Add this latest one:

* BT has "better performance" for up to 16Mb customers than Sky or TalkTalk

(from http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/12/04/asa_bt_bskyb/)

To this lot:

* fibre optic Infinity already available throughout Manchester

(from http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/11/13/bt_manchester_infinity_ad_slapped_by_asa/)

* Oh, no, fewer people are complaining than ever before

(From http://forums.theregister.co.uk/forum/1/2013/03/12/Kelly_Fiveash_BT_engineers_missed_appointments/)

* BT's "six-month free broadband"

(From http://forums.theregister.co.uk/forum/2/2013/01/16/bt_asa_ruling_line_rental/)

* No, we've never intercepted web traffic

(from http://forums.theregister.co.uk/forum/1/2013/01/16/bt_asa_ruling_line_rental/

* No, we've never had anything to do with DPI

(from http://forums.theregister.co.uk/forum/1/2013/01/16/bt_asa_ruling_line_rental/

* No, we'd never do something like impose behavioural advertising trial on our customers without asking them first.

(from http://forums.theregister.co.uk/forum/1/2013/01/16/bt_asa_ruling_line_rental/

* No, it MUST be your PC

(from http://forums.theregister.co.uk/forum/1/2013/01/16/bt_asa_ruling_line_rental/

* No, we're not scamming prices.

(from http://forums.theregister.co.uk/forum/1/2013/01/16/bt_asa_ruling_line_rental/

Pitiful, really

I agree the ad is misleading, but the reasons for the objection are questionable! The performance of the companies over wifi? Errr, thats entirely down the router in use surely and nothing to do with the ISP, granted they give you a router but you could just buy a different one if they are otherwise the fastest. Personally if they are indeed faster when wired then i'd choose them and buy my own router (not that the BT wifi router is bad anyway, its far better than the Sky offering anyway).

Misrepresented advertised broadband speeds?

I refuse to believe it. Must be one of those April Fools stories.

</snark>

ASA:

Unlimited Broadband actually means limited to some extent that you can only find out by reviewing the products T's & C's that are buried in their website.

Fibre Broadband: actually means fibre to some cabinet down the street and coax to you house. if you have fibre to some cabinet and twisted pair to your house (FTTC) you can't call it fibre!

The ASA would never pre vet adverts as it would invite a severe beating from all concerned, as well as making them liable for any damages. At the moment they can try and claim to be on the side of the consumer. Like all national type agencies, they have an enviable ability to dodge scandal and controversy and deflect it to either the company concerned or the consumer.

New advertising campaign.

Simples. Just say "We're not Rupert".

every ISP except virgin uses BT's exact same network and any non BT engineer are probably still not allowed in any of BT's exchanges

New Revenue for the exchequer?

Its simple. Make the ASA a government body with powers to levy big fines and put that into reducing the deficit.

Ah of course the snag there is that the big business mates of the politicians might respond with a huge cut in the bribe - sorry I meant political donations - they make.

Party politics.... is there anything more corrupt?

The current system is laughable and shows just how empty worthless it is.