ISP Vodafone UK Launch Faster 73Mb Broadband Social Tariff
Mobile network operator and broadband ISP Vodafone UK has today added a second social broadband tariff for those on state benefits (e.g. Universal Credit), which is called ‘Fibre 2 Essentials‘ and costs a bit more than their existing ‘Essentials Broadband‘ plan, but will give you faster speeds of up to 73Mbps.
Just to recap. Vodafone’s original ‘Essentials Broadband‘ package costs just £12 per month (free setup) on a 12-month contract with no early termination fees or mid-contract price hikes, which offered average download speeds of 38Mbps via either FTTC or FTTP lines. By comparison, the new ‘Fibre 2 Essentials‘ package costs £20 per month and offers average downloads speeds of up to 73Mbps (uploads usually 20Mbps or less).
Vodafone is promoting its social tariffs to anyone on Job Seekers Allowance and Universal Credit, as well as those on Employment and Support Allowance, Reduced Earnings Allowance, Disability Allowance, Personal Independence Payment, or Pension Credit.
Ahmed Essam, Vodafone UK CEO, said:
“We have led the way in social tariffs, being the first to launch both fixed and mobile connectivity and having the cheapest social broadband product on the market since October last year.
We have now heard the call for telecoms providers to do more to support people in the cost-of-living crisis and offer social tariffs that meet the needs of different households, so we are continuing to lead the way by promoting a new faster speed, social broadband tariff to our existing portfolio. Connectivity isn’t a luxury; we are doing all we can to make sure everyone can stay connected.”
However, despite the positive change, the operator’s announcement also seems to echo BT’s ongoing complaint about social tariffs by warning that such packages may not be “sustainable longer term“. But while BT appealed to the government for more support (e.g. VAT cuts and subsidies), Vodafone instead calls on Openreach to “provide a wholesale cost for vulnerable customers” to tackle the issue – something they’ve already rejected (here). The provider has commercially also asked CityFibre to consider it too.
In addition, as part of the proposed merger with Three UK, Vodafone has committed to retaining all current measures to support vulnerable customers impacted by the cost-of-living crisis, including social tariffs and digital inclusion campaigns.
Finally, a quick reminder – we know social tariffs can be divisive for some, but that is not an excuse to abuse the comment system in order to post offensive remarks toward those who take state benefits. Such posts are against our rules and will be removed.
Mark is a professional technology writer, IT consultant and computer engineer from Dorset (England), he also founded ISPreview in 1999 and enjoys analysing the latest telecoms and broadband developments. Find me on X (Twitter), Mastodon, Facebook and Linkedin.
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This speed is slightly lower than the mean average speed in the UK (79mbps). I’d dream of getting this fast a connection in the first place but I digress.
Openreach FTTC never went above 74Meg throughput speed that always the same on 80/20 product!
That is not a good deal. At all.
80/20 FTTC for £20 isn’t a good deal?
It’s right with others – Only difference I have seen is VM do £20 a month with a basic stream box and something like 50mbps… This IS a good deal – 80/20 is about £28 a month elsewhere full price.
Not if there is an Alt net around, I suppose, but compared to providers using the Openreach network it is pretty good. that is if you are prepared to use Vodafone
I signed up for Grain 100/100 for £15 and that was a deal for everyone not just unemployed people.
Hmm all these social tarrifs are great but what about those that are already in contract then due to the economic issues loose their job etc.. Will Vodafone move them onto a social tariff from the normal 48 month contract or will they hold them to the contract they are going to struggle to afford etc.
Provider’s with social tariffs often tend to adopt some flexibility in this respect. Vodafone says that existing broadband customers can switch to it, and they make no mention about needing to be out of contract with your current Voda package first.
It’s worth noting that some providers may even let you swap to a different company’s social tariff without penalty even if you’re in contract. I was with Shell and at the time they didn’t have a social tariff themselves but heard they let people leave penalty free if moving to a social tariff elsewhere. I enquired to confirm this, they let me leave and they waived the penalty. I had to phone a couple of times since their system didn’t update the penalty charges to reflect it being waived at first but it wasn’t an issue. Since Shell now have their own social tariff I don’t know if they’d still do this however. Can’t speak for other providers but I’ve seen some articles to suggest that it’s multiple providers that do this.
Always worth asking your current ISP though just to be absolutely sure if someone is in this type of situation, worst they can say is no.
Thanks for the input it’s not something I personally need but I see a lot of economic turmoil and people being made redundant etc… if this option is open to people in contract and in a bad financial situation then I see that as a great move to stop people getting into debts due to contract terms.
I think it’s a good deal IF they use FTTP – I didn’t go with it as 1, they said I failed credit checks (I didn’t) and the Vodafone system kept rejecting me/account never setup correctly/order never progressed. They were going to use FTTC, which was 3mb down last time my property had it
They are not allowed to credit check social tariffs… Link to the DWP does it instantly
Where’s the social tariff for those that pay 45% tax?
Sell your Ferrari – you will have enough for the rest of your days at normal price.
@charles, LOL.
True if you are earning enough to pay that much tax then there is really no need for social tarrifs.
Like a lad at work who is on full time pay, his missus is on full time pay and they have her mother living in the house, and she is on full time pay and yet he was still complaining about people on benefits getting the £300 payment.
Greed is the problem in this country, greed is the problem in many countries
@charles being in the 45% tax bracket doesn’t mean you have a ferrari. I am in that bracket I have an 11 year old Ford, I’m the sole income for a family of 4, we do have a nice house but I can’t afford to go abroad, because there’s things like windows that need replacing this year.. I don’t have debts as I will never get credit but my mortgage is almost half my monthly takehome.. I wasn’t in that brelacket until they lowered the threshold. Yes I know I’m fortunate and if I need to find a couple hundred quid for something I don’t need to stress about it, but I’l still need to watch what I spend make choices about what to give up to have the things I want.
I’m not arguing for a socal tariff for people like myself just pointing out being on that tax bracket doesn’t automatically make you rich/have fancy cars etc.
charles says:
July 19, 2023 at 8:57 am
They are not allowed to credit check social tariffs… Link to the DWP does it instantly
Not true, BT do have credit check on social tariffs!
Not as good as BT’s social tariff that includes free phone calls.
So here we have an ISP offering a cheaper option for those who may need it.
Instead of appreciating the support given, people STILL moan.
Greed? Yes
Sense of Entitlement? Yes
We now live in a country where people expect everything for free.
Well done Vodafone for recognising that people in receipt of benefits may also need an improved service and providing it.
If you can get many suppliers offering more for less than this. It is worth pointing it out. This is not that good of a price. Even at £15 it wouldn’t be that great but acceptable
I don’t have any problem with people on benefits getting lower cost broadband as long as they are not on benefits because they can’t be bothered to work.
But for people looking at going for a social tarrif should look around as they may get a a better deal for just a bit more, BT Home Essentials 2 is £20 a month for around 60Mb/s, but for people who live where I live can get 500Mb.s from zzoomm for £4 a month more. The only problem is the price can increase after 12 months, but only a 12 month contract anyway
Vodafone need to bring in mobile social tariff!
They have already. Just under their Voxi brand. A Vodafone customer can move to this and even keep their existing Vodafone SIM.
The working man/woman picking up the bill yet again.
D McG:
I dont agree. Millions of workers claim UC so get your facts straight. Where have you been for the last 18 months?
Yes and more than enough are scroungers taking the easy street in life while hard working people like me foot the bill at every turn. Know a guy more than capable of working claims universal credit and goes out cuts grass on the side and is away holidays 3/4 times a year, whilst getting discounted broadband and mobile not even funny no wonder this country is in the way it is. Not be grudging anyone who is on their knees and needing help at all.
You seem to have a distorted view on reality.
@K, I agree with you, but i also see where D McG isw coming from, there are people who do takle the pee out of the benifit system, someone up here where I have live been claiming sick for years, got a back and yet I have seen him carry sacks of sand and other heavy stuff which you would not do with a bad back. His car is a couple of years old, how can you buy a new car on sickness benefits? I people can get a new car if they have mobility problems, but this bloke certainly don’t have mobility problems, he can move faster than me.
People going into the shops and buying £10 of lottery scratch cards, that again have not been working for years.
So as I said I do agree with what you are saying, I know a couple of people who are not working due to health, one worked for years struggling and not giving up until she had to, so I have no problem with people like them having help, not that they have enough and seem to have to go through hell to get it.
“D McGuinness”
It’s people with attitudes like that that’s got this country into this situation in the first place.
Bet you ran down the road to vote for the Tories or brexit and all the other delightful thing’s that led Britain to the bottom, we all now call reality.
Toby:
Thank You.
Neither actually I vote for labour I live in Scotland where the snp have got the system running that it doesn’t pay to work hard working people pay a lot more tax than in England wales and Northern Ireland and it doesn’t stop there. I just think people should work in life and not have a free ride nothing wrong with that, know people cant work due to illness and disability. And it’s lazy workshy gets that’s got this country on it knees plenty opportunities out there for everybody work hard and you will reep the benefits. Anyway everyone is entitled to an opinion gone a bit too long on a ISP page cheers.
Not even a good deal.
BT offer this and you get landline with unlimited calls.
This sort of price is not far of what the prices used to be before FTTP.
Voda at the beginning of the year was offering deals for 500-900Mbps for £30 (It’s only £24 80Mbps standard price)
I absolutely agree that those who are disadvantaged get access to broadband through these social tariffs. Having internet access is seen as important as gas and electricity nowadays!
What I’m genuinely unsure about is the need to have a higher speed tier. There are those on long lines etc. who can’t get faster speeds whether or not they can afford it, let alone for a cheaper price. What is the rationale for providing a higher speed tier? Would it not be better to be focusing on providing ‘good’ speeds to as many as possible?
Hats off to Vodafone. We qualify because my son is disabled and are getting 40/10 FTTP for £12 a month from them. They made the process to change ISP quick and easy, the service has been 100% so far. Our previous ISP was BT, they absolutely refused to help, said we qualify for nothing and wouldn’t release us from the contract early.
The ones that can’t work (or are already in work) should be allowed these 36Mb and 67Mb tariffs. Everyone else that’s on UC should be limited to 1Mb! It’s plenty fast enough to search and apply for jobs!
As an extremely taxed and very hardworking person still unable to buy a house I disagree to again and again, more and more and more.. enslessly subsidise those whore are not sufficiently contributing. Internet prices are ridiculous low. If you can’t move a finger you really can’t be using internet anyway.
Communism ideas must die or we all suffer.
Maybe if you improved your English grammar skills, it might land you a better job so you wouldn’t feel the need to moan moan moan?
Just an update if anyone is an existing customer on the pro package and falls into the situation where this may be needed they will charge an early termination fee so its not clear cut or easy for those needed assistance to move over to it. If you can’t afford normal broadband and wanted a cheaper option the termination fee is almost certainly out of reach.