The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) is to investigate the use of the term ‘fibre’ in the promotion of broadband services.
It says it wants to address concerns about the word that can be used to describe both part-fibre and full-fibre broadband services.
The UK government’s recent Digital Strategy made clear its view that ‘fibre’ should only be used to describe full-fibre broadband services. MPs have also expressing their concerns about the use of the term ‘fibre’ to describe part-fibre broadband services.
“In response to that context and those concerns, we are now scoping a review of how we interpret the Advertising Codes when judging the use of the term ‘fibre’ to describe broadband services,” the ASA said in a statement. “In particular, we will be considering whether the use of that term is likely to cause people to be materially misled. Our work has already begun and we will provide an update with more information by the summer.”
Over the past 12 months major changes have been made to the way broadband pricing should be advertised. Sister body CAP is currently considering how best to tighten standards on speed claims in ads with an announcement expected in the next few weeks.