Contention Ratios. In the contract is mentions Contention Ratios which are typically 20, 30, 40 or 50:1. If the ISP is offering 8Mb connection on a 40:1 contention, a worst case scenario would leave the customer with only 200Mb/sec connection (8000/40=200). I have 8Mb, and the fastest I've ever downloaded at was 420Mb/sec meaning I was experiencing a 19:1 contention ratio. For those who don't understand the internet, ISP's buy capacity from larger providers by the Mb and then divide each Mb by the contention ratio. So, they pay £80 per month for 8Mb but distribute that 8Mb among 40 customers. If we pay say £20/month for 8Mb broadband, the ISP receives 40 x £20 = £800. They paid £80 so make £320 profit (costs have to be factored in of course).

The only way for the consumer to get download speeds, is for the contention ratio to be lowered. In the US it is around 7:1 in some areas - but of course the ISP gets less money so prices go up. What they give with one hand.....

Michael, London, UK

I have been with several broadband providers and not one of them has delivered anywhere near the speed I signed up for.
I am on BT total broadband option 3 which meant to deliver "UP TO" 8MB download speeds. I can honestly say that I have experienced download speeds of more than 500kb. I feel cheated by BT and the other ISP's I have used.

David Herbert, Worksop, Notts

The cost to set up Broadband for each household would mean a massive increase in the install fee prior to you testing any service. Is this what people really want? A larger up front fee?

Your broadband speed over the phone line is determined by the distance of your house from the exchange. You should be able to receive an accurate estimate of the maximum speed through a simple postcode checker. However companies don't want to do it because it makes them seem slow, especially compared to Virgin's Cable Broadband.

A wireless network is your own to manage, nothing to do with your supplier.

If you live in the coutryside and can't get broadband then yes you should move if it's that important. The prinicple is no different to people who move to good school catchment areas. You have the choice.

I have 20Mb with Virgin and the speed is 19.5Mb during the day.

Broadband over the phone line is an inferior product to Virgin's cable network. The technology is completely different.

Salty, Reading,

Here's a good speed test. http://www.thinkbroadband.com/speedtest.html

Remember to click the button to see your results.

Kurt Munro, Edinburgh,

I certainly suffer from fluctuations in broadabnd speed and when checked is always below the 5.5 I was quoted prior to connection.I work mostly from home and it causes me to losse a lot of time logging on and accessing the server.
It is even worse when I go onto the wireless network at my home

Mike Hughes, Wrexham, Wales,Uk

Although a trial period seems like a good option, its all too easy for the ISPs to prioritise bandwidth to those on the trial service, thus giving them a false impression of what the full service will be like. Its not beyond the scope of current technology - what with 'traffic management' and all - for ISPs to conitnue to dupe us into higher than average prices, and lower than average service.

Said, London,

There should be a trail period for the customer to decide whether to stay with the provider.

Consumer should be able to leave any time if service standards drop with few weeks notice.

rahmani, sedlescombe, UK

Broadband companies especially AOL should extend their trial period for 28 days, provide a free phone service for instructions from technicians to install wireless by costomers' choice and decrease their lenghty 18months contract to 6months.This new idea about company using 0870 numbers are utterly and unfairly rip offs.They should provide local and affordable telephone numbers for customer services.

Ameelia, Thornton Heath,Surrey, United kingdom

This is absolutely ridiculous and blatant mis-selling. Would you keep a car that you were told could do 70 mph if you found out it was actually only 20 mph? Why is it that, once again, the consumer suffers. Why on earth are Ofcom messing around with consultations when they should be protecting people. Perhaps I'll go back to BT and tell them I'm only paying up to half of the bill and see if I get away with it.

Jo Duff, London,

Why has this not been forced already, the solution is simple, MAKE the companies advertise the average download and upload speeds and not the mythical up to which exists only if u live next door to an exchange

christopher mcguire, edinburgh, uk

I am absolutely disgusted with the fact that we have been told that, in effect we will have to move house to be able to get broadband, we are desperately keen to get broadband if only for the sake of our children and their education, and feel that having to move house is not the way foward in 2007.

Gary Brown, Southanpton, Hampshire, England