ISP TalkTalk Launch Free UK Broadband Proactive Alerts Tool

Internet provider TalkTalk has today launched a free new tool called ‘Broadband Proactive Alerts‘, which is designed to notify customers about local network issues, “often before they even notice a problem“. But only some of the provider’s customers will be able to benefit from it.

The free service or App notifies customers, specifically ONLY those who are on one of Openreach’s older Fibre-to-the-Cabinet (FTTC / VDSL2) based broadband lines, of nearby network outages quickly after they occur, which TalkTalk said should improve their online experience and help them feel more in control.

The service combines proactive outage notifications with dedicated case management, enhanced self-service and real-time tracking, to give customers some much-needed reassurance. But it’s currently unclear why they aren’t doing this for Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) lines, although such lines are generally more reliable and TalkTalk’s use of several different alternative FTTP networks may complicate such matters.

Leigh Halliwell, Head of Service Assurance at TalkTalk, said:

“Our research shows that tech troubles and broadband disruptions are a major cause of everyday stress. Brits have been crying out for much-needed tech and life admin support at home – with one-third even admitting it’s something they’d pay for. We’re continuously innovating to deliver a service that not only meets our customers’ needs but also empowers them to get the most out of their connection.

This is why we’re happy to give households across the nation one less thing to worry about, solving tech-mares through our new Broadband Proactive Alerts service. It minimises stress for our customers by making them aware of nearby network issues quickly after they occur, removing uncertainty and giving much-needed reassurance and support.”

A number of other ISPs already offer similar services, although it remains an uncommon feature to offer across the industry. But when employed correctly, such services can also help to reduce the burden on support staff by minimising the need for customers to make a related call or raise an online support ticket etc.

As part of today’s launch TalkTalk also engaged OnePoll during April 2025 to survey a nationally representative sample of 2,000 people in the UK, which noted how 67% said it became a major inconvenience when their broadband goes down, with Millennials being the most impacted group (75%). But 61% said knowing their broadband was down would help to better manage their related stress over such issues.