Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether the 10Mbps minimum speed for broadband under the universal service obligation will be the minimum speed consumers receive in their homes at peak times; and if he will make a statement.

There is a difference between what we define as the download speed, or sync speed, and the actual speed end users experience. The sync speed is the maximum speed that is achievable on the connection between the network and the premises. In reality, the actual speed that is provided to an end user is typically lower than the sync speed and this will vary depending on the number of other people using the network at that point in time. The specification that we consulted on was for a sync speed of at least 10Mbps. Ofcom says that a 10Mbps sync speed meets the needs of a typical household.