I think ISP should NOT provide average speed information

M1′s reply on why ISP shouldn’t provide average broadband speed promise to consumers.
http://www.ida.gov.sg/doc/Policies%20and%20Regulation/Policies_and_Regulation_Level2/20070612111424/M1.pdf

I think it is perfectly valid. Some consumers are so dumb as to use 100mbps plan and get 6mbps speed due to poor configuration. Some thought that 6mbps = 6 megaByte per second.

But the WTF thing is newspaper decided to slap M1 by quoting only the most improbable variable that affects connection speed.

In a 20-page statement, SingTel pointed out that average Internet speeds experienced by users vary depending on how many are using the network at any given time. Speeds are also dependent on radio signal quality which can be affected by external interference, it said.
M1 aired similar views. In its response, it said it strongly objects to the proposal for ISPs to state average Internet access speeds as ‘there is basically no sound, objective and equitable basis to do so considering the many variables involved’.
It said computer processing speed and power supply would also affect Internet connection, as would the type of operating system used. Instead, it urged the IDA to improve public education on broadband Internet services.
In its response, StarHub said ‘requiring operators to disclose expected average Internet access speeds would serve to create even more confusion and disputes with end-users’.

Actually providing average speed is workable. But that is only if users are educated. Too bad our internet users are dumb.

As I have said and I will say again, I think that people should only use technology WHEN AND ONLY WHEN they know precisely what they are using. No point calling yourself an internet user and not knowing how to even setup an internet connection, and then when issues arrive leave all the responsibilities to customer support. Customer support are not the ones who want to use your laptop or internet connection. You are the one. That is not knowing how to use the internet. Someone else knows how to use and allow you to use it. That’s all.

Too bad, we are living in the iPhone generation. Consumers are getting dumber and dumber. There are people who change their phone to iPhone because “iPhone can watch youtube!” when they old phone can do that too, but the user is unaware of it.

Despite the technological penetration, we are living in a society where the bulk of the technology users think they know technology, but actually don’t. Such a society is definitely not one where you should reveal average speed information to, especially when they don’t know that 99.9% of the factors determining internet speed are not up to the ISP’s control.

Until the day when we have zero user calling customer support to complain about slow internet speed (but actually because the computer is flooded with spambots and viruses), [AND SOME OF THESE PEOPLE ARE FROM SCHOOL OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS MANAGEMENT FROM SMU!!!], we are definitely not ready for such transparency from ISPs.