Pipex ditches ‘unlimited’ broadband

Pipex has announced a revamped broadband product range, removing its ‘unlimited’ package and labelling products with a clear usage allowance.

Steve Weller, Head of Communications Services at independent price comparison and switching service, uSwitch.com, comments: “This is great news - Pipex is being upfront, honest and fair to customers by stating exactly how much they are allowed to download. The new packages are competitively priced and for the vast majority of users, the 10Gb and 30Gb downloads will be more than adequate.

“As more and more people use the internet to download TV programmes, movies and music, it comes as no surprise that many are tempted by the lure of ‘unlimited’ broadband. However, the Fair Usage Policies that protect these claims are not ‘fair’ at all – they fail to specify the limit at which customers will have their service restricted, or, in a worst case scenario, cut off.”

Weller concludes: “Today’s move by Pipex acts as a clear signal to other providers to follow suit and eradicate consumer confusion on this issue. There is no getting around it – a broadband service should not be classed as ‘unlimited’ when there are restrictions in place. We will continue to put pressure on both the industry and the ASA until this issue goes away.”