BT UK Launch HALO Unlimited 5G and Fixed Broadband Plan UPDATE2

UK ISP BT is poised to launch a new convergence plan for both home and business customers called “Halo“, which should complement their existing “Plus” packages with a number of new features (e.g. ultrafast 5G and unlimited usage for both mobile and broadband). Free upgrades for ADSL users to “superfast” plans are also coming.

At the time of writing the final details remain unclear, although our sources said that the new plans would be unveiled later this morning as part of a major press announcement and as such we hope to have more details later today. We understand that the planned relaunch of BT TV, which we leaked yesterday (here), will come later.

In the meantime the information we’ve received from our sources reveals that BT’s new Halo plans will add 5G mobile support (via the BT owned EE Mobile network, naturally), although this aspect shouldn’t come as much of a surprise since the operator hinted at this in July 2019 (here).

However, we now know what other changes will accompany the new converged plan, including unlimited mobile data usage, as well as the removal of out of contract price increases and a pledge that existing customers will receive the same or better prices than their new ones (all in keeping with Ofcom’s new Fairness policies here and here, as well as the forthcoming end-of-contract notifications system).

We should point out that BT Plus’s existing 4G orientated “Keep Connected Promise” will already give subscribers unlimited mobile data, albeit only during an outage of your main fixed line broadband service (otherwise they only give you double data).

More Key Changes from BT

On top of that we understand that BT plans to upgrade around 700,000 customers on their slower ADSL based copper line (ADSL) broadband packages to a “superfast broadband” (FTTC) service at no extra cost, which where possible is expected to take place by next summer (2020). The ISP will also confirm that they’ll stop selling copper broadband services where “fibre” is available, which we’re already seeing (here).

Obviously this leaves a question mark over those in copper line only areas and apparently BT’s plan for the final 10% of premises is that they will be able to access broadband via other technologies, albeit primarily 4G or 5G based mobile broadband connections. Granted this works well in some areas, but there are still plenty of locations that ADSL can reach where 4G mobile cannot and 5G won’t get there for years.

Other Planned BT Changes

* BT intends to bring forward their plan to answer every support call in the UK and Ireland by Christmas 2020. Apparently this will now occur a full year earlier than expected (Christmas 2019).

* By the sounds of it EE’s high street shops will soon fully support BT products and services too in a multi-brand approach.

* BT will create a new support team (Home Tech Experts) of around 1,000 people, which will be dedicated toward improving connectivity in customer homes (we assume this will mean diagnosing WiFi problems etc.). Several ISPs are already doing something similar (e.g. Sky Broadband).

Hopefully we’ll have more details once BT have released their official announcement, which (as above) is something we hope should happen later this morning.

UPDATE 11:09am

We can now confirm that what was reported above is correct and a few more details have dropped as part of the official press release.

Highlights from BT’s Announcement

* Launching the UK’s “best converged plan”, Halo from BT. With more than one million homes connected to BT’s flagship converged plan BT Plus, BT is launching Halo to provide even better connections and service to customers across the UK. Halo customers can benefit from unlimited data and calls on mobile and at home, inclusive support from BT’s new team of Home Tech Experts to get all of their technology running, and Plus/Halo customers will be the first BT customers to be able to upgrade to 5G from Friday 11 October. Customers who sign up for 5G and Plus plans will be upgraded to Halo from November. More about Halo will be announced in the coming weeks.

* Upgrading 700,000 homes and businesses to Superfast Broadband by June 2020 at no extra cost to customers (by this they mean an upgrade to their FTTC 40Mbps [10Mbps upload] tier).

* BT will stop selling standard broadband connections on the legacy copper network to 90% of the UK population – and use all available technologies to connect the rest of the UK that cannot get superfast today, including 4G and 5G broadband and Full Fibre.

* Decades old analogue phone lines will be no more by 2025 with the new Digital Voice network (as expected, here).

* Regional Call Routing, where BT will answer customer calls in the customer service centre closest to them wherever possible

* BT 5G mobile plans will be available from Friday 11th October.

* Launching 4G and 5G broadband solutions for small businesses in October that will deliver “fibre-like speeds” to business customers who cannot access Superfast Broadband today or who want an instant connection for temporary offices or locations.

* Improving the BTnet dedicated internet access solution for businesses to deliver even faster speeds, greater coverage and a range of bandwidth-boosting special offers. Complete with entry level capacity of 1Gbps, business-grade security, managed Wi-Fi and cloud-based features, businesses can enjoy the flexibility to grow and support more bandwidth-heavy applications as they expand.

* New converged BT Halo products for homes and businesses (as above).

* Creating the UK’s most personal and local customer service: launching a new team of 900 Home Tech Experts to help people with digital tech in their homes, as well as support in the workplace.

* Bringing the BT brand back to UK high streets in over 600 stores and 24/7 customer support for businesses around the world.

* BT will launch new FTTP full fibre plans in November 2019, which we hope will include the new 550Mbps and 1000Mbps consumer tiers (even though they won’t be live from Openreach until 23rd March 2020).

* The BT brand is returning to the high street, transforming 600 EE stores into dual branded stores across the UK for the first time, providing consumer and small business customers local access to experts who can help with everything from getting online for the first time to the latest in smart home technology.

* BT is also launching a new brand purpose and identity to reflect its “ambitious new approach”, which will be unveiled with a broad internal and external campaign, from Friday 18 October (we’re already using their new logo).

Philip Jansen, CEO of BT Group, said:

“We’re helping families and communities across the UK, and companies in Britain and around the world, to remove the barriers of today to realise the potential of tomorrow.

We’re starting a journey today with real changes that will have a positive impact for people and businesses – connecting more customers to full fibre, boosting customers’ speeds right across the UK, keeping customers connected wherever they are with our new converged Halo products, and helping to give them the skills to make the most of today’s connected world.”

The shotgun blast of information is tricky to write about since there’s so much of it, although the key points have been highlighted above. A wiser provider might have spread these announcements over a series of press releases but we suspect they’ll still do that for each launch. As usual, ISPreview readers heard it here first.

UPDATE 10th October 2019

We had a good question yesterday about the possible impact of BT’s ADSL to FTTC upgrade programme on street cabinet capacity (ports). We asked Openreach about this and were told that they’re aware and are working closely with BT Consumer to work through their migration plans, taking things like capacity into consideration.