Budget conscious internet provider TalkTalk appears to be nearing completion of a new ‘Smart Home Protection‘ service (app), which is currently being trialled by a number of their broadband customers and looks to be an upgrade of their existing ‘Supersafe Boost’ (usually costs an extra £4 per month) and HomeSafe service.
At present the paid Superfast Boost service, which is powered by internet security firm F-Secure, combines online protection against viruses, ransomware, phishing scams and malicious websites – for up to 10 devices on your local network – with a password manager. This can work across desktop computers, tablets and Smartphones etc.
On top of that TalkTalk also gives customers the ability to enable HomeSafe, which features three web filter settings – ‘Virus Alert’, ‘Kids Safe’ and ‘Homework’ time that can block social networking and games sites at specific times, as well as the ability to block individual sites.
However, the provider has recently been busy developing a new Smart Home Protection (SHP) service, which by the looks of it appears to combine elements from both Superfast and HomeSafe into a single solution. Apparently this is the “combination of a security feature embedded on our [Wi-Fi Hub] router, an advanced security app [for Android and iOS] and industry-leading cloud protection.”
The blurb from the trial offers some additional context: “SHP easily secures every connected thing in your home using one device, now and in the future. Per device control and protection … allowing you to individually apply parental controls and content filtering on all connected devices. SHP protects everything connected in your home, from desktop computers and phones to smart TVs and baby monitors. Its IoT security technology senses traffic from connected devices to provide extra protection against IoT threats.”
At the time of writing TalkTalk’s closed trial app for Android has already been installed over 1,000 times, although some of those will be from people who didn’t realise they needed to be invited to the beta before you can actually make use of the new app (partly because the service may require a beta firmware update to the Wi-Fi Hub router).
The ISP has confirmed to ISPreview.co.uk that they are indeed testing the new service, but they added that “there is no confirmed date for launch yet.” We’ll keep an eye out for it.
So many broadband glitches with Talk Talk compared to other providers. Hope they can improve their service.
I have talk talk Broadband speed exelent 71mbs never had any issues.
I’ve had talk talk for years after they took over pipex I’ve 76mbs never had any serious problems
I find talktalk is very bad where I live in Knockholt it keeps crashing
I’ve been with TalkTalk for a few years now and am very pleased with the service & especially the price. I have tried Sky & Virgin and found them to be expensive and vedy poor service.
Cheap and cheerful
Been with them for years, down to cheap price and unlimited broadband
Never had any real problems, odd hiccup but quickly resolved
Just wish they would spend money to improve the speed of my current package fibre 35?
Used to get around 26mb
Now around 20mb, 25mb on a good day
But never the same 2mins later
They even say go 65mb
Mmm same copper wire outside and in
Roll on virgin fibre
I agree, talktalk provides a generaly adequate service – main benefit being the unlimited BB. However the biggest drawback is : yes, old-fashioned copper wire. Been with talktalk several years now even though promised speed is never achieved. Reason is the almost affordable price. However the company has always been fair and easy to deal with and customer service is very good.
Same as others who have copper wires so it never reaches the speed it is proposed to and I have been with talktalk for 15 years
TalkTalk data breach 2015 compromised around 4 million customers records. They received a record fine. They failed to listen to customers who reported problems. Personally I cannot trust them with my details ever again and I still get phishing phone calls in 2021.
This company have the most diabolical technical support department, I can’t believe they have as many customers as they do.
Been with TT for years on fibre 35, upgraded to fibre 65 & ended up with less MPs. Tech department didn’t know what they were doing so asked to go back to fibre 35 but they insisted there would be a charge for that so left for Sky fibre which is much better.
Upgrade to fibre 65 but doesn’t seem much better then the old wired
Love how the comments are not about the actual topic of the article.
Many people don’t understand smart devices and what risks they come with, I have mine on a separate VLAN so those devices cannot access my PC’s etc.
This is a great idea, hope it works well.
TT is hit and miss at each property like all providers what people need to understand when they moan is the whole service was open reach other providers us there lines you bb cone from open reach exchanges not TT do until open reach update everything its hit and miss
The irony is, these extra “Smart” protections regarding more apps and in some cases hardware are just increasing the attack surface area! Their customers now need to trust TalkTalk not to have products with their own security vulnerabilities that end up being worse than what they advertised to protect from! Given TalkTalk’s data leaks of their own customer details, they don’t seem the best people to trust!
At the end of the day this is just a cheap PR stunt to “suggest” they are the better ISP to look after your data and security, when in reality they don’t have any track record of doing so!
I have had taltalk for eighteen months and have not had any internet.