As many as a million working families are at risk of falling the wrong side of the digital divide in the next three months due to the rising cost of living, according to new research commissioned by Vodafone. The YouGov research and forecasts by Development Economics predicts families stand to lose £286 per month (£3,432 per year) without access to the best prices and deals online.
In response, Vodafone has launched the most affordable social broadband tariff on the market at £12 per month. Vodafone Essentials Broadband is not only available to people on Job Seekers Allowance and Universal Credit, but also those on Employment and Support Allowance, Disability Allowance or Personal Independence Payment. Customers can join without a set-up fee, leave for free at any time and won’t be subject to in-contract price changes. The plan gives access to Vodafone’s Fibre 1 or Full Fibre 1 Essentials Broadband plan for 12 months, providing fast connectivity, with average download speeds of 38Mbps.
For small business owners, Vodafone will offer free broadband for a year to help mitigate rising costs and help businesses stay connected to customers. This comes as new research commissioned by Vodafone (from Walr) shows more than a third (35%) have admitted to downgrading, cancelling or considering cancelling their broadband to save money. This new support package offers Vodafone’s award-winning business grade broadband free for 12-months on a 24-month plan, and is available to new customers and existing customers who are eligible to upgrade.
