Headline speeds for mobile broadband have generated much disappointment for customers over the years. While providers promote and advertise big numbers for their connection speeds, users hardly experience any of it because the speeds they actually get are significantly slower than the marketed speeds.

This is a deceptive practice as the costumer often purchases the broadband package believing that he/she will get the advertised speed. The common phrase ‘up to’ is usually used to advertise these speeds, which seems to successfully lure potential buyers.

Therefore, providers in Sweden, a country at the forefront of mobile broadband, have decided to fix certain regulations to govern the advertised speeds. TeliaSonera, Tele2, Telenor and 3 have settled on these guidelines and have agreed to promote their services in a way that ensures that customers are made aware of the speeds that they will actually experience. These will be the real-world speeds rather than the theoretical headline speeds.

These guidelines will be implemented by 1^st September this year, after which customer will be able to confidently rely on marketed broadband speeds. Therefore, if a provider claims to give 14.4 Mbps speeds, then the customer will know that he/she is guaranteed at least 10 Mbps. The same holds true for 3.6 Mbps speeds, which will give at least 3 Mbps; and 7.2 Mbps, which will give at least 6 Mbps.

It is widely agreed that this initiative will be beneficial in increasing customers’ faith in the broadband providers. Rather than luring the customers with false speed promises, the focus will be on customer satisfaction. Hopefully, the UK mobile broadband industry will also make similar efforts.