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ISPreview.co.uk has welcomed Ofcom's new voluntary code of practice for advertising broadband speeds but warned "a lack of teeth to the agreement threatens its effectiveness".
Editor Mark Jackson questioned what sanctions would be used to encourage internet service providers (ISPs) to stick to the code and raised doubts over Ofcom's focus on measuring line speeds.
He said many ISPs play by the rules but some promote their services as though the headline rate is what a customer can expect to achieve, which he described as "deeply misleading".
"We welcome Ofcom's move to nudge ISPs towards a greater degree of honesty, although it's not entirely clear what happens when a member ISP fails to keep up its end; a lack of teeth to the agreement threatens its effectiveness," he said.
Broadband speeds are affected by factors such as the length of the phone line, interference, wiring problems and network congestion, Mr Jackson added.
Ofcom's voluntary code of practice was introduced last week and states that ISPs must provide customers at the point of sale with an accurate line speed estimation, resolve technical issues to improve speed and allow customers to switch their service.
According to the watchdog, 37 ISPs covering 90 per cent of broadband customers have already agreed to honour the spirit and letter of the code.
