Report: 8m broadband customers in the dark over usage

Monday, 14 June 2010 11:30

By myfinances.co.uk staff

Millions of broadband customers could be at risk of being penalised or even cut off by their provider for excessive downloads because they do not know their usage allowance, according to a new report.

The study by comparison site uSwitch.com found that 48 per cent of households with a broadband connection - around eight million people - have no idea how much content they are allowed to download.

Another 38 per cent, or seven million individuals, think they had an "unlimited" service, when in fact their provider will monitor and, if necessary, limit their usage.

The site said that two million people have been contacted by a broadband supplier about their "excessive" downloads, while 350,000 have actually been censured.

However, according to uSwitch.com, it is often difficult for customers to know when their limit has been reached, as although "unlimited" packages have a Fair Usage Policy that places boundaries on the service, they rarely specify the amount of content consumption that is considered excessive.

"The best advice for customers is to check their Fair Usage Policy and if in doubt, ask their provider to clarify the acceptable usage," said the site's communications expert Matt Wheeler.

According to the Office for National Statistics, 63 per cent of UK households had a broadband connection in 2009.

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