{"id":25805,"date":"2021-02-03T07:56:36","date_gmt":"2021-02-03T07:56:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ispreview.co.uk\/?p=25805"},"modified":"2021-02-05T12:17:03","modified_gmt":"2021-02-05T12:17:03","slug":"bt-launch-halo-3-to-combine-wifi-mobile-and-fttp-broadband","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ispreview.co.uk\/index.php\/2021\/02\/bt-launch-halo-3-to-combine-wifi-mobile-and-fttp-broadband.html","title":{"rendered":"BT Launch Halo 3+ to Combine WiFi, Mobile and FTTP Broadband"},"content":{"rendered":"

UK ISP BT<\/a> and EE<\/a> has today combined to launch their new converged Halo 3+ package (add-on), which is a hybrid solution that is intended to give customers the “best<\/em>” all-in-one broadband (e.g. full fibre FTTP<\/a> as standard), WiFi<\/a> coverage (“the UK\u2019s only unbreakable Wi-Fi connection<\/em>“) and mobile (mobile Broadband) connectivity.<\/p>\n

BT<\/a> have been working to converge the benefits of their different networks (broadband, mobile and home WiFi<\/a>) for quite a few years and the latest Halo 3+<\/strong> product is another extension of that on-going effort. The goal here is generally to create an increasingly seamless connectivity solution between the different network platforms.<\/p>\n

Naturally, there are a number of differences between Halo 2 and Halo 3+ (there’s also a ‘Standard Halo 3’ product, but we’ll come back to that), although the main ones are the addition of a pledge to upgrade customers to Fibre-to-the-Premises<\/strong> (FTTP<\/a>) broadband “at no extra cost<\/em>” (i.e. as soon as it’s available) and the new Hybrid Connect<\/strong> device.<\/p>\n

You’ll generally be able to take Halo 3+ alongside one of BT<\/a>’s broadband bundles (these start from \u00a365.99 per month). Now on to what you’ll actually get for that..<\/p>\n

Standard BT Halo 3 Features<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

— Keep Connected Promise<\/strong><\/p>\n

Customers will be sent a BT Mini Hub (4G<\/a>) to keep them online if they\u2019re moving home or have any broadband issues, and will automatically receive unlimited mobile data on all of their BT mobile plans.<\/p>\n

— Inclusive access to Home Tech Experts<\/strong><\/p>\n

Customers can book in a 2-hour slot, 7 days a week, for wi-fi help at no extra cost. Simply give customer support a call and a Home Tech Expert will be round whenever needed – whether that\u2019s to set up a new service or to fix a problem. Home Tech Experts will also come round once a year to make sure the customer\u2019s wi-fi is working perfectly for their specific needs at no extra cost.<\/p>\n

— The BT Halo Price Promise<\/strong><\/p>\n

No out of contract price rises and you’ll never pay more than a new customer for their service.<\/p>\n

Additional BT Halo 3+ Features<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

— Hybrid Connect<\/strong><\/p>\n

The always-on Hybrid Connect device works with the Smart Hub 2 to automatically connect to the EE mobile<\/a> network for back up if required. Hybrid Connect also works with BT Complete Wi-Fi, so whether connected to broadband or the EE<\/a> network, customers will continue to receive a signal in those hard-to-reach places in the home. When the broadband connection is restored, it will automatically defer back to the fixed connection, minimising any interruption to internet use.<\/p>\n

The device will also provide instant connectivity for new customers while they wait for their fixed line broadband to be activated. The Hybrid Connect device is sent out the same day when it is ordered by 3pm, with 24-hour delivery.<\/p>\n

— Smart Hub 2 router included by default<\/strong><\/p>\n

— Complete Wi-Fi <\/strong>(mesh WiFi<\/a> system for “reliable connectivity in every room<\/em>“)<\/p>\n

— Full Fibre upgrade at no extra cost<\/strong><\/p>\n

— BT Mobile and EE mobile<\/a> benefits<\/strong><\/p>\n

All BT Mobile customers within a BT Halo household will benefit from a double data boost free of charge. Additional great offers and benefits are available for those who take an EE mobile<\/a>, including six-months half price on a new EE Mobile Smart plan at launch, with further offers enabling customers to get the best of BT and the best EE<\/a> over time.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Alternatively, customers can add Hybrid Connect as a separate add-on from \u00a37 per month. Similarly, Complete Wi-Fi can be added to existing broadband plans for \u00a310 per month, without needing to take Halo.<\/p>\n

Christian Thrane, MD of Marketing BT Consumer, said:<\/strong><\/p>\n

“With BT Halo 3+, we\u2019re launching an innovative new category of home broadband that\u2019s truly a first of its kind in the UK. We are combining the best fibre home broadband and wi-fi technology, backed up with our award-winning EE mobile network to become the only UK provider that offers customers an unbreakable wi-fi connection in the home.<\/p>\n

BT Halo 3+ offers a super reliable service with the best connectivity for all corners of the home, giving the whole family peace of mind they can work, homeschool or keep in touch with friends and family without interruptions.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The Halo products are just one of the ways that BT and EE have found to help show off the benefits of convergence (aside from longer-term cost and efficiency savings etc.), which is something that Virgin Media<\/a> will need to catch-up on when they complete their merger with mobile operator O2<\/a> in the middle of this year.<\/p>\n

On the other hand, the fact that all of this tends to cost quite a bit of extra money will continue to discourage many budget conscious consumers, particularly in the current climate. However, you could also argue that the rise in working from home may equally encourage others to invest more into securing greater resilience for their internet connectivity.<\/p>\n

The only negative we can see in the above bundle, other than the extra cost, is that BT has made no mention of that fact that their mobile side will only be 4G<\/a>. At least they don’t state 5G<\/a> anywhere in the press release and their previous decision to scrub 5G<\/a> from new BT Mobile plans suggests no change to that stance (here<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Otherwise we’d caution BT against claiming to offer the “UK\u2019s only unbreakable Wi-Fi connection,<\/em>” since in our experience you can always find ways to “break<\/em>” even the best WiFi (e.g. unplug it \ud83d\ude42 ), although their converged setup is definitely one of the strongest bundled solutions from any ISP.<\/p>\n

BT Halo 3+ will be available nationwide from Friday 5th February 2021<\/strong> this week.<\/p>\n