Ofcom’s Voluntary Code of Practice on Broadband Speed ensures that customers get more accurate speed estimates when they sign up by holding providers accountable to delivering those speeds.
When you move onto a new broadband deal, providers who have opted into the voluntary code of practice have to give you an estimated speed during peak times. This is a period when connections tend to slow down as more people are online, so it needs to provide you with a minimum speed guarantee to ensure your speed doesn’t drop to unacceptable levels.
If your provider isn’t meeting your minimum speed guarantee and you complain about it, they have 30 days to fix the issue or you can leave the contract, penalty-free.
Although the code of practice is voluntary, a number of major providers — including BT, Sky, Plusnet, TalkTalk and Virgin Media — have signed up. So if you have a broadband contract starting from 1 March 2019 or later, you are entitled to receive that minimum speed guarantee or else you can leave your contract and switch to a new provider.
It’s worth checking your current internet speed regularly to ensure your provider is meeting this minimum speed guarantee.