Coronavirus: UK fixed broadband providers end data caps
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Editor
| 30 March 2020

Supporting the added millions of home users of their networks due to the Covid-19 outbreak, the UK’s network operators have agreed to remove data limits on their services.

The move comes after discussions with the UK Government’s Digital Secretary and with broadcasting regulator Ofcom. The deal involves the country’s major internet service and mobile providers, namely BT/EE, Openreach, Virgin Media, Sky, TalkTalk, O2, Vodafone, Three, Hyperoptic, Gigaclear, and KCOM.

The new commitments are in addition to a range of supportive measures offered by the individual providers to their customers affected by circumstances arising from Covid-19. Effective immediately the provider have committed to working with customers who find it difficult to pay their bill as a result of Covid-19 to ensure that they are treated fairly and appropriately supported and all providers will remove all data allowance caps on all current fixed broadband services.

All providers have agreed to offer some new mobile and landline packages to ensure people are connected with some of the packages including data boosts at low prices and free calls from their landline or mobile. All providers will ensure that vulnerable customers or those self-isolating receive alternative methods of communication wherever possible if priority repairs to fixed broadband and landlines cannot be carried out.

Commenting on the move, Digital Secretary Oliver Dowden said: “It’s fantastic to see mobile and broadband providers pulling together to do their bit for the national effort by helping customers, particularly the most vulnerable, who may be struggling with bills at this difficult time. It is essential that people stay at home to protect the NHS and save lives. This package helps people to stay connected whilst they stay home.”

Clive Selley, CEO of BT’s national broadband provision division Openreach which has been accelerating full fibre rollout remarked: “With connections to more than 24 million customer premises across the UK, we know our network is critical. We’ll do everything we can to keep people connected while prioritising our support for critical public services, vulnerable customers and those without a working line. Thankfully a large amount of the work we do – including fixing faults, adding capacity and building faster, more reliable full fibre networks - can be completed outside, so you’ll still see Openreach engineers working to maintain service across the UK.”

“In these unprecedented times we know how important connectivity is to people’s lives,” remarked Lutz Schüler, CEO of Virgin Media which has also been ramping up fibre broadband rollout. “Alongside the many other steps we’re already taking, we’re committed to helping our most vulnerable customers and ensuring they are supported as much as possible as we work tirelessly to keep the country connected.”