One in 10 broadband users rates their provider as poor - 12 Aug, 2010
*54% broadband users have had a problem with their service
*More than one in four people (27%) don’t know how to test their broadband speed
New research from independent market research firm, Consumer Intelligence, reveals that many Brits are unhappy with their broadband service, with more than one in two (54%) saying that they have had problems with their service. More than one-third (35%) of respondents who have experienced a problem with their broadband said they have found it “difficult” or “very difficult” to resolve. Only nine per cent found it “very easy” to resolve a problem and only 17% found it “easy”.
This lack of satisfaction over resolution of broadband problems explains why one in three (35%) of broadband consumers does not believe their broadband provider is delivering a good service. Indeed 10% of respondents choose to rate their broadband provider as “poor” or “very poor”. Currently only 27% of broadband users would recommend their broadband user to a friend or relative.
One of the common issues surrounding broadband provision is that the connection speed users receive can vary greatly and this can have a big impact on a user’s experience. The findings reveal that less than half (47%) of broadband users check their broadband speed and more than a quarter (27%) of users don’t know their current broadband speed, nor how to go about testing it, although they would like to be able to do so.
Ian Hughes, managing director at Consumer Intelligence, commented:
“There is a lot of ignorance amongst broadband users who don’t know what features to look for when they select a broadband service. This is indicated by the fact that two in five people don’t shop around for the best deals for their needs. Many users are helpless even once they have a service installed because they don’t know how to check what speed they’re actually receiving from their provider and whether they are getting good value from their investment. There are a number of websites that provide consumers with a quick indication of their current connection speed with just the press of a button.
“Service providers need to help those customers who don’t have a good appreciation of their broadband requirements understand what service and speed they should expect in their location. Furthermore they need to ensure that any issues that users do have concerning speed or other connection problems are smoothed out quickly.”
Ends
Notes to Editors
(1) Research from Consumer Intelligence, based on a survey of 2,660 broadband users conducted in July 2010 via www.cimysteryshopping.com
