Vodafone launches Pro Broadband that sees it gunning for BT’s business
Vodafone is offering its own take on BT’s broadband service, adding a Wi-Fi coverage guarantee and mobile data backup.
With pricing starting at £35 per month (for a service offering an average of 35Mbps) and rising to £60 for the full fibre 900Mbps service at £60 per month, the Pro Broadband service comes with ‘Super Wi-Fi’ mesh-networking boosters to give a guarantee of Wi-Fi coverage in every room, or permission to leave your contract without fees.
Customers can also call upon trained experts to help manage the best wireless connectivity in the home, while the 4G backup service will allow an automatic switchover from fixed to mobile broadband in the event of the wired connection going down.
Other benefits include a free upgrade to FTTP (Fibre to the Premises) broadband as soon as it is available in your street, if not already available at the time of signing up, a £3 discount on any Vodafone pay monthly phone contract, free Norton anti-virus for 12-months (and half price thereafter) and an optional Pro Xtra add-on for £8 per month which adds 4K Apple TV, unlimited landline and mobile calls, no in-contract price rises, and Apple TV+ free for 12 months.
Vodafone is continuing to offer other home broadband packages, including ADSL services and mobile data – the latter consisting of a 5G router starting at £30 per month for 100GB data per month, and topping out at £60 per month for unlimited data (plus variable upfront costs for the 5G router depending on the plan).
Full pricing can be found on the Vodafone website.
“This is a powerful launch from Vodafone that will turn heads among rivals and reinforces strong commitment to take a greater share of the competitive UK broadband market.
“Pro Broadband includes many similar features to BT’s Halo 3+ offer, which launched only a few weeks ago. It even uses the same “unbreakable” descriptor as part of its marketing. Going toe-to-toe with the broadband market leader is highly creditable for an operator with a heritage steeped in mobile.
“The big differentiator is price, with tariffs starting at just £35 per month. This could put pressure on BT’S premium positioning as UK consumers seek affordable deals in challenging economic times. It may also force broadband heavyweights Sky and Virgin to bolster their offers too.
“Vodafone is still a minority player in an established broadband market. Growing organically is a tough ask, but this offer is well-timed as consumers review their connectivity needs while the impact of the pandemic rumbles on.”
Kester Mann, Director of Consumer and Connectivity at CCS Insight
“This eagerly anticipated move comes quick on the heels of BT’s Halo 3+, with Vodafone now offering these premium features at more affordable prices, making them accessible to more households. This is a big step in removing the main barrier to great connectivity in every household”
Paolo Pescatore, Founder and TMT Analyst, PP Foresight
“We’ve built Vodafone Pro Broadband to provide our customers with unbreakable broadband without breaking the bank.
“Our customers tell us that fast, reliable and secure connectivity is more important than it’s ever been, and even when there is a return to ‘normal’ their demands for great broadband will continue.”
Max Taylor, Consumer Director, Vodafone UK