BT introduces minimum speed guarantee with new broadband deal

Introducing a minimum performance guarantee comes as a surprise, but it is a refreshing approach to customer service which could prove to be a very attractive proposition for BT.

BT is launching two new broadband packages with speeds of up to 152 Mbps and up to 314 Mbps, but the interesting bit is the minimum speed guarantee; 100 Mbps. We can’t think of any other deal which guarantees performance for the consumer, but we do hope this idea kick-starts a new trend in the broadband arena.

“Ultrafast technology is going to be a vital part of a transformation in the speed that our customers receive,” said Marc Allera, CEO of BT Consumer. “Whether it is six in the evening or six in the morning, with Ultrafast Fibre everyone can be online at the same time, streaming, downloading and gaming.

“Rather than spending hours downloading TV shows or films to their smartphone or tablet, they’ll be able to do it in minutes. Customers will have complete peace of mind that they can always rely on Ultrafast Fibre, backed up by the promise that we’ll give them £20 if their speed ever falls below 100Mbps.”

For the moment, this guarantee is only for these two packages. It is on the expensive side, £54.99 a month for Ultrafast Fibre 1 (152 Mbps) and the Ultrafast Fibre 2 (314 Mbps) option will cost £59.99 a month, but this is a product which will appeal to a small proportion of the UK population. How many people actually need speeds of up to 314 Mbps?

The last couple of months has seen the telcos receive quite a bit of stick surrounding the expectations set for broadband deals through advertising campaigns. In short, few are living up to the glorious promises made on TV, with many, in your correspondents opinion, being directly misleading. The Advertising Standards Authority is changing rules when it comes to broadband promises, though BT is setting a new standard here.

In terms of the legal stuff, customers are limited to four compensation claims a year, while claims based on outages, connection faults and home wiring outside of BT’s control will be ignored. The circumstances are pretty limited, though at least this is a step in the right direction. The compensation will come in the form of a BT Reward Card, and BT does reserve the right to change the T&Cs at any point during the contract.

When you dive down into the details, it isn’t the magnificently gleaming promise which is on the surface. That said, we are pleasantly surprised by a promising move from the telco which could result in some very positive sentiment towards the brand. Hopefully the guarantee will be rolled out to the rest of the products BT has on offer, while also giving the rest of the telcos a nudge in the right direction. We certainly hope such promises become a standard across the industry.

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