Press Release | 02 Jun 2020

Vodafone gives six months free business broadband to UK small businesses to help them return to work after COVID-19

  • New offer from Vodafone will give small businesses one less expense to worry about during Covid-19 crisis.
  • Broadband rescue package includes six months free Vodafone Business Broadband with unlimited usage, and six months free Microsoft 365 Business Standard.
  • Six months free offer is available to all small business owners, including those already in contract with Vodafone.

Vodafone UK has today launched a broadband rescue package for the UK’s community of more than five million small businesses to help them get through the Covid-19 crisis and return to work.

Vodafone will make Unlimited Business Broadband and Microsoft 365 Business Standard free for six months, with the offer available to all small business owners, including those already in a contract with Vodafone.

The new offer can be taken up any time in the next three months. This means that small business owners, even those who are already Vodafone broadband customers, can sign up to a new 24-month contract and have the first six months completely free, with no set-up costs.

After the first six months, the monthly fee will be the standard Unlimited Vodafone Business Broadband price of £19.17 (excl. VAT) per month for the remaining 18 months, and Microsoft 365 Business Standard for £9.40 (excl. VAT) per month.

Paul McGann, Managing Director of Cat Among the Pigeons, a creative promotional marketing agency based in Leeds, said: “With one less bill to think about for six months, this offer will be incredibly helpful to small businesses like us.

“As a recent start-up, we were just three months into the business plan when the Government advised social distancing and restricted all non-essential travel movement across the UK. With Vodafone’s fast and reliable broadband connectivity we have been able to maintain our levels of service and carry out business as usual even while working remotely.”

Nick Jeffery, CEO, Vodafone UK, said: “Our role in these challenging times is to keep the UK connected and help businesses return to work. Small businesses have been hit particularly hard by this crisis. By reducing their costs and providing them with our brilliant technology and expertise, we hope to help them get back on their feet and return to growth. A little financial help now, will go a long way in the future.”

Microsoft 365 Business Standard provides flexible tools to help business customers work beyond their local desktop wherever they are, with Microsoft software, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, on all devices, stored safely in the cloud.

At the start of the Covid-19 crisis, Vodafone implemented a new policy for the small businesses most at risk within its supply chain to ensure that, for the next six months, all new orders would be paid in 15 days. Vodafone is also providing valuable financial support to small businesses struggling with bill repayments, including a six-month payment plan to spread the cost of their mobile services, and a guarantee that businesses will not lose Vodafone services as a result of late payments.

For NHS workers, carers, and vulnerable customers, Vodafone has enabled unlimited data at no extra cost for the next six months, for both Pay Monthly and Pay As You Go customers.

Customers should visit here to find out more about the six months free broadband offer:

#KeepConnecting

-Ends-

Notes to Editors
The offer will run for three months and is available to all new and existing small business customers (up to 50 employees). A small business is 0-49 employees.

Vodafone Business Broadband is free for the first six months of a 24-month contract with no set-up fees. The remaining 18 months will be priced at the standard rate of £19.17 (excl. VAT) per month for Superfast 1, with average download speeds of 35Mbps, and £22.50 (excl. VAT) per month for Superfast 2, with average download speeds of 63Mbps.

Microsoft 365 Business Standard is free for the first six months of a 24-month contract. The licence is priced at £9.40 (excl. VAT) per month thereafter.

About Cat Among the Pigeons
Cat Among The Pigeons is a creative promotional marketing agency specialising in digital, social and shopper marketing campaigns for major food and drink brands. More information is available at www.catamongthepigeons.com.

 

For further information:

Vodafone UK Media Relations

Telephone:  01635 693 693

Website: https://newscentre.vodafone.co.uk

Twitter: @VodafoneUKComms

About Vodafone UK

Vodafone UK is a technology communications company that connects people, businesses and devices to help our customers benefit from digital innovation. Our services span mobile, fixed-line connections, home and office broadband, and the Internet of Things (IoT).

We have a strong track record as a tech pioneer, making the UK’s first mobile phone call, sending the first text message, and making the UK’s first live holographic call using 5G in 2018. We were the first to start carrying live 5G traffic from a site in Salford, Greater Manchester and now have 5G in locations across Germany, Ireland, Italy, Spain as well as the UK. Meanwhile, our 4G network coverage currently reaches over 99% of the UK population.

Today, Vodafone serves more than 18 million mobile and fixed-line customers in the UK. Vodafone is the largest provider of full fibre in the UK – our superfast broadband services are now available to nearly 12 million homes across the UK.

Sustainability is also at the heart of what we do: as of 1 July 2021, 100% of the grid electricity we use in the UK is certified to be from renewable sources.

For more information about Vodafone UK, please visit: www.vodafone.co.uk.

Vodafone UK Media Relations

Telephone: +44 (0) 1635 693 693

Email: ukmediarelations@vodafone.com

Twitter: @VodafoneUKNews

Website: https://vodafone.co.uk/newscentre/

Vodafone Limited

Registered Office: Vodafone House, The Connection, Newbury, Berkshire RG14 2FN

Registered in England No: 1471587