Virgin chief brands BSkyB broadband 'lousy'
In what many broadband customers in the UK would consider a case of the pot calling the kettle black, Virgin Media boss Tom Mockridge has criticised BSkyB by claiming that its broadband service is lousy.
And to add further insult, Mockeridge used to work for BSkyB – he was the company’s deputy chairman between 2012 and early 2013.
“If you are putting up with a lousy broadband service, and you can’t get a good connection, maybe you should go to a proper broadband operator,” he said in an interview with the Daily Mirror.
“Most people see through the marketing.”
Mockridge was referring to his rival’s current internet offer, which gives away 24 months broadband to customers signing up for Sky Sports.
“When someone offers you something for free, generally most customers are smart enough and realise they are paying for it somewhere else,” he said.
“You’ve got to think, if someone is going to give you their broadband for free, it means their broadband is maybe not that good. If you are putting up with a lousy broadband service, and you can’t get a good connection, maybe you should go to a proper broadband operator.”
Mockridge claimed that under its new owner, US cable giant Liberty Global, Virgin Media was investing £1 billion a year to boost its own network.
He did admitt that his predecessor at Virgin, fellow Kiwi Neil Berkett, had stabilised the business after many years of shoddy customer service.
“We’re not perfect,” he said, “but we are better than we were.”
