Thursday 13 August 2015
The Commerce and Employment Department has agreed a set of voluntary standards for fixed broadband services with Sure and JT.
The voluntary agreement covers the broadband services which are typically used by households and small and medium businesses (SMEs).
It builds on the operators' existing commitments to their customers and will bring additional clarity on the level of service which users can expect from their broadband provider. A key feature of the agreement is that it specifies minimum guaranteed download speeds for a range of broadband services.
Deputy Kevin Stewart, Minister, Commerce and Employment Department, said:
"I am pleased that the Department and the operators have agreed these minimum standards for fixed broadband services. Internet connectivity is key to running a successful small or medium business, and is an essential part of daily life for most Islanders. These minimum standards bring further certainty as to what customers can expect from their service providers.
For instance, someone using a broadband service labelled as "superfast" will know that they are guaranteed a minimum download speed of 10Mbps. This represents another significant step forward for Guernsey as a digital Island, and on behalf of the Commerce and Employment Department, I would like to thank Sure and JT for their support and cooperation in agreeing these minimum service standards for broadband."
Operators test the performance of a service when it is first installed, and will carry on monitoring every individual customer's service performance on a regular basis thereafter - at a frequency of at least twice a year.
In addition to setting a benchmark for broadband services, the agreement confirms the operators' commitment to monitoring performance and solving any problems.
Under the agreement, should an operator detect performance below the minimum standards, it will investigate it and make direct contact with customers to explain the likely root cause of the problem.
For issues caused by the operator's broadband infrastructure, the operator will explain the steps it is undertaking to improve performance. For issues believed to be related to the choice of service or to the customer's premises (e.g. internal wiring or Wi-Fi issues), the operator will provide advice on the steps it recommends the customer undertakes to resolve this.
Justin Bellinger, Director of Strategy and Business Transformation, Sure, said:
"Sure provides a range of Broadband services to businesses and Islanders in Guernsey. We are committed to providing high quality services to our customers, and being part of this agreement further reinforces our existing approach. Sure is continually investing in the Island's internet infrastructure, and we are well advanced into an Island-wide programme of fibre to the cabinet (FTTC) deployment. This is enabling us to increase broadband speeds on an ongoing basis, for the benefit of our customers."
Daragh McDermott, Director of Corporate Affairs, JT, said.
"JT is well underway with deploying its core fibre network in Guernsey, and looks forward to offering innovative fibre to the home (FTTH) internet connectivity to a significant proportion of the Island in the near future. In preparation for this, JT was pleased to commit to this agreement which reflects its emphasis on quality and customer service."
The voluntary broadband standards agreement will take effect on 1 September 2015, and will be reviewed on an ongoing basis as the operators evolve their services and the infrastructure used to deliver these.
The agreement is available from links below.
