By Chua Hian Hou
INSTEAD of marketing broadband Internet plans based on rarely
achievable maximum speeds, Internet service providers (ISPs) may
have to disclose the average surfing speeds consumers can expect to
experience by next year.
In a consultation paper published on Thursday, technology sector
regulator Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) said it
is looking at requiring ISPs include such information in their
marketing materials in future.
This would 'provide added transparency to end-users with respect
to the Internet access speeds they can expect, further aid them in
their choice of Internet access service, and minimise disputes,'
said the agency.
ISPs here have historically sold their fixed and mobile
broadband plans by advertising their top speeds, 'which may not be
usually achievable under normal Internet surfing conditions when
there are multiple users accessing the ISPs' Internet networks,' it
said.
As such, 'some consumers who sign up for such Internet broadband
access services may find that the actual Internet access speed they
can obtain do not meet their expectations and fulfill their
Internet surfing needs,' said the IDA.
Those that want to give feedback on the consultation paper have
until Dec 16 to do so. The IDA will decide later whether to require
ISPs do this by early next year.