News

More "unlimited" broadband: this time, Vodafone defines "fair use"

by Joe Fay | posted on 10 November 2006

Vodafone unveiled details of its broadband bundle this morning. We can probably expect its rivals' complaints to the Advertising Standards Association to be in by this afternoon.

The mobile operator's Vodafone at Home service will offer its consumer contract customers 8Mb unlimited broadband service nationwide, on the back of BT's network. They will also get inclusive landline calls within the UK and 25 per cent off mobile calls.

The service will cost £25 a month and will include what the telco describes as 24/7 UK-based support. Customers also get a suite of Norton Internet Security software.

Given this is a mobile firm, you might be surprised to hear it's offering a mobile USB modem at £58, which apparently is half price, so customers can log on on the move.

Naturally, there are provisos. Punters will have to sign up to an 18 month contract. If they cancel their Voda mobile contract, the monthly cost jumps to £35. The unlimited broadband is subject to fair use. The inclusive landline calls are up to 60 minutes and exclude, among other things, non-geographic numbers.

The service doesn't actually go live till January. Even so, if past behaviour is anything to go by, even as you're reading this, some marketing whiz in a rival operator is compiling a spoiler letter to the ASA picking apart the offering.