ISP CommunityFibre Boosts UK Social Broadband Tariff to 20Mbps

London-focused broadband ISP CommunityFibre, which is busy building a multi-gigabit speed Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband network to cover 2.2 million UK premises by the end of 2024, has today announced that they’re doubling the speed of their cheap £12.50 per month social broadband tariff to 20Mbps.

The Community Fibre Essential package is unique in that it doesn’t ask customers to provide proof of income support before purchase (i.e. technically this means it isn’t a true social tariff) and, until now, it only came alongside a basic speed of 10Mbps (symmetric). The boost to 20Mbps is thus very welcome, particularly given that they’ve opted to retain the incredibly low price point of £12.50 per month.

Current Essential package customers who were previously getting 10Mbps will now be automatically be upgraded to 20Mbps. The package also comes with a free-of-charge Linksys Velop WiFi 5 Mesh router (£9.95 set-up fee for postage etc.).

Graeme Oxby, CEO of Community Fibre, said:

“Getting online is a necessity in order to lead a normal life in the modern world. If people are priced out of broadband, they won’t be able to carry out essential everyday tasks including applying for jobs, paying bills or booking medical appointments. Our Essential tariff is the most accessible social tariff in the country available to anyone, not just those who can prove eligibility. By doubling the speed to 20Mbps, we ensure more people from the most vulnerable households can benefit from.”

The only confusing element, which might be considered a catch, is that the ISP expresses their £12.50 per month price as being for 12-months (contract) and “then at the prevailing new customer rate thereafter“. But they haven’t stated what the post-contract price for this package is on either the product page or the small print they link to at the bottom of that page.