Reuters is reporting that the UK Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) have asked Wanadoo, a UK ISP, to tone down its broadband adverts. The adverts made use of the phrase "full speed" in relation to their 512k broadband service. The implication being that the company was offering the fastest broadband service in the UK.
Clearly, the argument centered arround what exactly is high-speed, and what is not. The compaint, lodged by competitors BT and Telewest, raised the point that the Wanadoo service of 512k broadband was 1/2 and even a 1/6 speed of the service offered by the two respective companies.
The ASA upholding the compaint will hopefully lead to more responsible advertising from UK ISP"s; boasts of high-speed services need to be justified by figures in adverts so as to not confuse consumers. 512k connections are nolonger the fastest offering on the market, and thus ISP"s cannot boast to this effect.
Wanadoo have undertaken a massive advertising campaign in the UK after purchasing Freeserve from Dixons.