Text of a letter I sent today to Virgin Media, my ISP:

This letter is a complaint about the recent decision to throttle my internet access.

I understand that I have been placed on an automatic list of the top 5% of users, and that with effect from Monday 28/4/2008 and for the ensuing week, my access will be throttled. This is completely unacceptable.

Why was I not told of the decision to throttle my access? An email notification would have avoided 3 expensive and unnecessary calls to technical support trying to diagnose a non-existent fault.

I made 3 premium rate calls to Technical Support today to query the slow speed I was experiencing. On the first 2 calls, the call handler simply fobbed me off from their script. Only on the third was it explained to me that my access was being throttled. I would like you to refund the costs of these calls which I estimate at 20 minutes x 25p = £5.00.

It was explained that I have been throttled as I fall within the top 5% of users. I simply do not believe that I fall within the top 5%. I am a light user of the internet, I do not for example download music or DVD's. Please tell me how much was downloaded and over what period of time to 'justify' this action.

It is not satisfactory that I am left waiting until Sunday for my broadband to be switched back on. I am a light user, and can only assume this is a mistake. Please restore unthrottled access immediately.

My experience with Virgin broadband has been one of consistently slow speeds and poor customer service - your "8 MB" service has turned out to be slower in use than the 1MB I used to receive from Tiscali. This incident is just the latest in a line of complaints and technical issues that I have had. I can no longer tolerate such a poor service. I wish to be released from my contract with Virgin WITHOUT PENALTY PAYMENT so that I can take a contract which actually supplies what is advertised. Please will you speak to whichever senior manager has the authority to waive the cancellation charge and release me.

I am thoroughly disgusted with the "service" received from Virgin Media. I expect a response well within the 10 days quoted by the call handler on your customer service line. My only alternative is to escalate this complaint to Ofcom as an unwarranted abuse by Virgin Media of the terms on which the service is supplied.

I look forward to your reply.