Zach Brooks, flickr.com
As stated in letters to providers, revealed yesterday, the prosecutor's office is suspecting that the companies’ users get internet connection at a speed lower than specified. Prosecutors’ representative Tim Wu informed providers that if the consumer fraud is exposed, his department will stop the providers’ activity, subsequently filing a lawsuit. Prosecutors demanded Verizon, Time Warner Cable and Cablevision to furnish the proofs by the 8th of November. US media, citing sources in the Prosecutor's Office reported that the investigation was initiated after complaints of consumers on low speed connections. Also, sources in the prosecutor's office reported that the slow speed could perhaps have been caused by technical conflicts during the transition of the signal from the network of another provider's network as the signal goes to the final consumer.
It is common to the US to periodically raise questions whether the internet speeds claimed or described in advertising download is real. Last year, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued a report in which they said that during peak loads in the network Verizon, the data rate is only 83% of applications, whereas the average is 91% for the network DSL American providers. At the same time, Time Warner Cable users receive data at a rate of 94% to 101% of claimed.
The companies have already announced that they intend to cooperate with the authorities and provide them with the required data. Cablevision representative noted that "the speed of our networks constantly exceeds the speed of the claimed in advertising, as evidenced not only by our internal tests, but FCC tests as well. Time Warner noted that they are "confident that they provide consumers with promised services and data transfer speed." Verizon also expressed confidence "in a fast and stable Internet connection, which is used by our customers."
source: washingtonpost.com
It is common to the US to periodically raise questions whether the internet speeds claimed or described in advertising download is real. Last year, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued a report in which they said that during peak loads in the network Verizon, the data rate is only 83% of applications, whereas the average is 91% for the network DSL American providers. At the same time, Time Warner Cable users receive data at a rate of 94% to 101% of claimed.
The companies have already announced that they intend to cooperate with the authorities and provide them with the required data. Cablevision representative noted that "the speed of our networks constantly exceeds the speed of the claimed in advertising, as evidenced not only by our internal tests, but FCC tests as well. Time Warner noted that they are "confident that they provide consumers with promised services and data transfer speed." Verizon also expressed confidence "in a fast and stable Internet connection, which is used by our customers."
source: washingtonpost.com