Vodafone UK fixed broadband to launch this summer

‘Vodafone Connect’ broadband and home phone services now available to Vodafone UK customers

NEWBURY — Vodafone UK today starts its journey of becoming one of the UK’s leading providers of consumer communications and entertainment services. The company is investing significantly in the programme, which will create more than 400 new jobs in the South East of England and Glasgow. With the launch of Vodafone Connect, which will provide broadband and home phone services to customers across the UK later in the summer, Vodafone will ensure its customers are always connected, both at home and on the go.

Available at speeds up to 76 Mbps, Vodafone’s nationwide, fibre optic, business-grade network already reaches exchanges which pass nearly 20 million premises across the UK: with that figure increasing to around 22 million later in the summer. Combined with the plug-and-play Vodafone Connect router, the service delivers speed, reliability, unlimited data and cutting-edge features which let customers share, stream and shop to their hearts’ content.

The innovative Vodafone Connect companion mobile app, coupled with the router, offers a range of features which will give customers greater control over the devices in the home: ‘Boost’ allows customers to supercharge any device connected to their home network, giving that device priority over others; ‘Beam’, which uses Beamforming technology, sends a stronger Wi-Fi signal to compatible devices wherever they are in the home; ‘Family Time’ allows customers to easily manage and set time limits, giving them control over when Wi-Fi is available and when it’s not; and ‘Guest Wi-Fi’ allows controlled Wi-Fi access to household guests in one click.

Whether customers choose Ultrafast Fibre Broadband (up to 76 Mbps), Superfast Fibre Broadband (up to 38 Mbps) or Broadband ADSL (up to 17 Mbps), Vodafone will celebrate the launch of Vodafone Connect and thank its customers for their loyalty by giving them £5 off the standard broadband price every month and for the first 12 months it will be further discounted to half price – making it one of the best value broadband and home phone packages in the UK. Vodafone Red (pay monthly mobile) customers will also get inclusive calls anytime to landlines, plus 300 free minutes to mobile numbers. And every customer gets inclusive evening and weekend calls, plus discounted Sure Signal units to boost mobile coverage indoors if necessary.

Vodafone Connect will initially be offered to existing Vodafone UK customers in Manchester, Berkshire and parts of Hampshire and Surrey followed by Essex, Hertfordshire and Yorkshire in the next few weeks. We will be rolling out to the rest of Vodafone’s UK customer base later in the summer at which point customers will be able to buy the service over the phone or at any one of our more than 500 stores across the country. We expect to launch broadband to new customers later in the year, but registration is already open here.

We’ll also take the hassle out of switching broadband provider with our Easy Switching service. Once a customer decides to order Vodafone Connect, and has informed their provider where required, our switching experts will coordinate everything: from transferring the service from the old provider; to setting up the connection with us and ensuring everything is working as it should be.

This launch builds on the success of Vodafone’s fixed broadband services across 12 countries in Europe, where we are one of the largest providers with more than 11 million subscribers and our experience as the leader in unified communications to the UK business sector.

Jeroen Hoencamp, CEO of Vodafone UK said: “This is a really exciting move for Vodafone in the UK as we move our business into a new phase. We’re looking forward to bringing our consumer customers the benefits of our experience in providing fixed and mobile services, both here in the UK and elsewhere around the world. Our significant investment is creating hundreds of new jobs over the next couple of years. We are looking forward to the year ahead, including our move into offering TV services, as one which will prove to be a step-change in our customers’ lives.”

Cindy Rose, Consumer Director at Vodafone UK said: “We wanted to start our journey into fibre optic broadband and home phone with an exclusive offer available only to existing Vodafone customers as our way of saying thank you for their loyalty. We know our customers depend on us to stay connected, and now we can satisfy their needs both at home and on the go. As the only operator in the UK which owns both a fixed and mobile network, we’re in a great position to create innovative products and services that give our existing customers reasons to stay with us and new customers reasons to switch.”

Vodafone’s market leading Vodafone Connect router (worth £130) will be provided free to customers. High-spec, it utilises the latest Wi-Fi technology, allowing priority to be given to a chosen device – supercharging Wi-Fi for seamless video streaming and gaming.

Vodafone will add broadband and home phone services to their mobile package, presenting one bill to customers covering all services – home phone, mobile and broadband.