UK ISP TalkTalk Business Launch HomeWorker Package

Broadband ISP Talk Talk Business (TTB) this week claims to have become the “first to launch a unique” new HomeWorker package from £20.95 +vat per month per line, which they say will enable businesses to offer business-grade connectivity to UK employees working from home during the COVID-19 crisis.

In fairness lots of broadband providers already offer broadband packages for business customers over domestic-grade connections (ADSL, FTTC, FTTP etc.) and some also have paid add-ons with enhanced features, such as Virgin Media’s £9.99 HomeWorks service (i.e. better support, repairs and security etc.).

In fact TTB itself already offers similar packages and features, but the new HomeWorker service is different because it’s designed to be purchased by the employer and not directly by the employee (i.e. useful for businesses requiring 100 lines or more). Put another way, your employer buys the broadband for you and other staff to use at home.

Key Features

* Contractual – Can be bundled into single easy-to-manage contracts with allowances for early termination should employees leave.

* Support – UK Call centre with experts in business service support; Can work with or as the customer’s IT department on installation or fault management.

* Technical – All traffic on these lines are tagged and a higher level of prioritisation is applied using EVCs over standard layer 3 consumer traffic. This tagging applies across our entire 3000+ exchange footprint ensuring virtually no risk of congestion. Leased lines can also be deployed in FTTC not-spots.

* 2nd Line benefits – Not contended in the home and on a separate wired or wireless connection. No chance of others in the house using YouTube, Netflix or other applications congesting the line. Worksafe can be used to lock down the line to ensure no access to websites and services that you don’t want used on a business service e.g. file sharing or social networking.

* In addition to the superfast connectivity, the homeworker package through it’s ‘Homeworker Enterprise’ solution, can also offer a range of dedicated connectivity options and bandwidth just for that business.

* Varying levels of management – for example it can be self-managed, part-managed or a full managed TalkTalk Business service, depending on the business’ needs.

* In addition to the superfast connectivity, the homeworker package through it’s ‘Homeworker Enterprise’ solution, can also offer a range of dedicated connectivity options and bandwidth just for that business.

* There is also advanced security optionality, as while Worksafe comes as standard with TTB’s Homeworker Network solution, SD-WAN is also available.

Jonathan Kini, MD at Talk Talk Business, said:

“Britain has seen a rapid rise in homeworking over the last few months and the need for reliable connectivity has never been greater.

The launch of TalkTalk Business Homeworker offers medium and enterprise-sized businesses and their employees the opportunity to benefit from business-grade connectivity in their homes, with the necessary security, reliability and speed needed to meet business demands.”

The provider claims that this package will allow employees to carry out their day-to-day jobs as effectively at home, as they do in the office and “without the many technical and connectivity issues, that cause frustration for many remote workers today” (this is a bit misleading since anybody taking out the up to 76Mbps / FTTC service will still be subject to the many different copper line problems that can occur).