Should broadband be charged on a sliding scale?

fwor

What you suggest would require a whole new set of regulations from Ofcom, some independent body that could measure what speed you were actually getting (which may vary hour by hour if, for example, your line gets more noisy when there is wet weather), an appeals process for when you and your ISP disagree, completely new billing mechanisms, etc.

Despite its record for adding layer upon layer of regulations dictating what we can and can't do, this government has its priorities for regulation elsewhere.

You only have to look at the ridiculous scheme to tax every fixed line user to subsidise the development of broadband to see that ease of implementation takes a greater priority than introducing something that actually makes sense...

cajef

For example, if I'm on an 'up to' 8MBit package for £10 per month but can only get 2MBits due to my distance from the exchange, should I justifiably be able to pay just £2.50 per month?

If you continue to use your reasoning the faster broadband people can get the more they should pay, therefore subsidising the network for other people.

It is hardly the ISP's fault that you live where you live and your speed is governed by the length of your line which is also not under their control.

ComplexP

These are all good points and I'm just being antagonistic with the question tbh. I fully appreciate that such a scheme is unlikely to ever see the light of day due to the complexities of the systems in place.

Looks like the 'No's are winning at the moment.

I'm still intrigued about Lokolo saying O2 can up the speeds on the BT lines to what they should be. Sounds like witchcraft, but if they've found a way then sign me up! :rotfl:

kwikbreaks

For ISPs reselling the BT based ADSL package the cost isn't governed by the speed that the connection can achieve it is governed by the download usage. Even a 512kbps line running 24x7 downloads is uneconomic at the typical prices charged - somebody syncing at 8Mbps who just does a bit of surfing and email uses far less resource.

There is a case for charging based on download but absolutely none for charging based on headline speed.

ComplexP

Like a kind of cost per Megabyte just like electricity charging in cost per kWh. I guess then the faster users may end up paying a bit more because a comparable time spent online doing similar things would result in a higher usage for the faster connection.

ged1980

ComplexP wrote: »

Based on whatever the 'up to' bit of your package says?

For example, if I'm on an 'up to' 8MBit package for £10 per month but can only get 2MBits due to my distance from the exchange, should I justifiably be able to pay just £2.50 per month?

Interested to hear people's views.

i like your question but what if:

you on your 2MBit downloaded 20 gig a month

But me on my 20MBit only downloaded 10 gig a month


would it be fair for isp to charge that way?

I think when it says up to 8meg ect they do have in t&c about distance from exchange ect


so my answer is it is fair

ComplexP

Thank you. I believe Kwikbreaks made a similar point above about the charge being based on actual usage rather than potential speed. A kind of pay as you download type thing. I haven't seen such a service advertised tho.

kwikbreaks

More or less.

In fact that is already in the package pricing of many ISPs - you can get cheapo sub 10GB per month deals already. The cheap all-you-can-eat deals based on reselling the BT packages usually self limit by contention so never deliver speeds in line with sync during peak usage haours.

ged1980

ComplexP wrote: »

Thank you. I believe Kwikbreaks made a similar point above about the charge being based on actual usage rather than potential speed. A kind of pay as you download type thing. I haven't seen such a service advertised tho.

i think your looking at it the wrong way

No one can help distance from the exchange but you can help what company you go with and look into capping slow speeds ect

There is a lot BB companys out there some bad some good and a couple very good just takes a little research before you buy and you can get a lot more for your money

john_s_2

Like houses that are in the catchment area of a good school increase in value, if being in the catchment area of a decent BB speed is worth anything, this will be reflected in the value of the house / rent.

Of course, you might be unlucky or lucky enough to have bought your house long before this became a consideration. Fashions and tastes change. C'est la vie.