Eligible customers can join without a set-up fee, leave for free at any time and won’t receive in-contract price rises.
As the cost-of-living crisis continues, Vodafone has added a new social broadband tariff to its existing social tariff portfolio. The new plan, Fibre 2 Essentials, has been designed to offer more choice in the social broadband market and meet the needs of busier households, as data from Which? suggests that, alongside awareness, concerns over speeds is slowing take up.
New Fibre 2 Essentials, at £20 a month, gives customers speeds of up to 73 Mbps. It joins Vodafone Fibre 1 Essentials which was announced in October 2022. Vodafone was the first to offer social tariffs on fixed and mobile (VOXI For Now), giving customers full connectivity for just 72p a day and the £12 a month broadband tariff remains the cheapest on the market. Eligible customers can join without a set-up fee, leave for free at any time and won’t receive in-contract price rises.
Vodafone enhances VOXI For Now social tariff to boost support for those in financial hardship
The VOXI For Now tariff, on Vodafone’s VOXI brand, will give unlimited 5G data, calls and texts for just £10 a month to anyone receiving benefits.
Vodafone is promoting its social tariffs to anyone on Jobseeker’s Allowance and Universal Credit, as well as those on Employment and Support Allowance, Reduced Earnings Allowance, Disability Living Allowance, Personal Independence Payment, or Pension Credit.
Ahmed Essam, Vodafone’s 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 social broadband tariff with faster speeds to our existing portfolio.
“Connectivity isn’t a luxury; we are doing all we can to make sure everyone can stay connected.”
The Vodafone Essentials Broadband range has been launched to help those most in need during the current cost of living crisis. But in order for these products to be sustainable longer term, Vodafone has called upon Openreach to provide a wholesale cost for vulnerable customers.
Building a full-fibre UK that’s fair for all
Ahmed Essam, Vodafone’s UK chief executive, lends his support to Openreach’s new full-fibre wholesale pricing proposal, but asks wholesalers to introduce broadband social tariffs to help vulnerable customers.
In addition to social tariffs, Vodafone’s everyone.connected campaign has pledged to help four million people cross the digital divide by the end of 2025. It includes a range of partnerships and initiatives to help give more people the connectivity and skills they need to stay connected and participate fully in an increasingly digital society.
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.
Stay up-to-date with the very latest news from Vodafone by following us on Twitter and LinkedIn and signing up for News Centre website notifications.
-Ends-
'We've provided connectivity to 1 million people in need - now we want to reach 4 million'
As Vodafone reaches its goal to provide connectivity to one million digitally excluded people by the end of 2022, Vodafone’s UK Chief Corporate Affairs & Sustainability Officer explains why the campaign is so important and how the company plans to extend it.
Notes to Editors
Vodafone Essentials Broadband
- Vodafone Fibre 1 Essentials and Fibre 2 Essentials are available for 12 months.
- Customers must meet eligibility criteria.
- After 12 months we will validate if customers still qualify for Vodafone Essentials Broadband and recontract. If not, customers can choose one of our standard broadband plans or leave without charge.
- The new Fibre 2 Essentials plan is also available to customers in Full Fibre areas, subject to availability, so customers can also get the most reliable broadband technology on the UK’s largest full fibre footprint.
Further information from Ofcom on social tariffs.
Further information on the research from Which?.
