Mobile operator and ISP O2 UK has quietly announced that its top-end Home Broadband packages - 'The All Rounder' and 'The Works' - have ditched their previous usage allowance guides and returned to offering "truly unlimited downloads"; unless of course you make "excessive" usage.

O2's Home Broadband packages can also be bundled with O2 Home Phone (line rental and call) services from £7.50 per month or an existing O2 Mobile contract; the latter results in additional savings off the standard monthly broadband price (about £5 per month).


In addition O2 still has several special promotions running. For example, customers who have been with O2Mobile for more than two years can get 6 months free Home Broadband, while new customers can take the 3 months free Home Broadband option.

O2 The Basics
Up to 20Mb Download Speeds
Up to 1.3Mb Upload Speeds
Usage Allowance: 20GB FUP
100 web texts a month
Free Wireless Router Modem
McAfee Security Software (1 computer)

Price (Existing O2 Mobile User): £8.50 per month
Price (Non-O2 Mobile Users): £13.50 per month (+£25.53 one-off connection fee)

O2 The All Rounder
Up to 20Mb Download Speeds
Up to 1.3Mb Upload Speeds
Truly unlimited downloads (FUP)
200 web texts a month
Free Wireless Router Modem
McAfee Security Software (3 computers)

Price (Existing O2 Mobile User): £12.50 per month
Price (Non-O2 Mobile Users): £17.50 per month (+£25.53 one-off connection fee)

O2 The Works
Up to 20Mb Download Speeds
Up to 2.5Mb Upload Speeds
Truly unlimited downloads (FUP)
500 web texts a month
Free Wireless Router Modem
McAfee Security Software (5 computers)
Free Static IP

Price (Existing O2 Mobile User): £21 per month
Price (Non-O2 Mobile Users): £26 per month (+£25.53 one-off connection fee)

However it must be pointed out that O2's website still makes reference to a Fair Usage Policy (FUP) that confirms "there is no limit on the monthly network usage" for the above packages. But anybody who continues to make "excessive" use of the service after a warning could find that O2 "may terminate or suspend your Services".

Sadly O2 does not define what "excessive" is, which has traditionally been one of the reasons why consumers often get so frustrated with such claims. The move, which is similar to one recently made by Orange UK (here), comes ahead of a ruling by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) concerning how ISPs should use "unlimited" style wording. Either O2 are taking a gamble or they know something that we don't.