Press & PR

With a limited amount of competition in the UK market, a number of consumers feel they are failing to get a good deal from their internet service provider (ISP), it has been claimed.

Graeme Gordon, operations director of Aberdeen-based Internet For Business, has said that recent market dominance by the likes of Virgin Media has meant that there is a growing pressure on smaller ISPs to deliver a niche product to keep current customers and attract new providers.

Virgin Media's recent fourth-quarter profit results for 2007 note a sharp increase in the number of customers it attracted, which it attributes partly to its ability to exploit "superior network capability".

"The larger suppliers can compete on volume by offering everything in one package but often fall down on quality of service," Mr Gordon tells Comms Business.

A key differentiator, he concludes, is being able to listen to customers' needs and respond to them effectively, as well as delivering ongoing support.

Vonage's broadband phone service provides an easy way to keep in touch with friends and family, with the V-Plan 1 available from just £5.99 a month.