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Offer applies to telco’s unlimited fibre tariffs; existing mobile customers eligible for extra discount.
Vodafone UK on Tuesday scrapped the £18 monthly line rental charge for its unlimited fibre-to-the-cabinet (FTTC) broadband service.
New and existing customers who sign up for the telco’s 38-Mbps service on an 18-month contract will now pay £25 per month, instead of £43. Existing mobile customers are eligible for a special rate of £22 per month. Meanwhile, all those who sign up to a 76-Mbps contract will pay £28, rather than £46.
It is worth noting that subscribers to Vodafone’s other broadband tariffs, like its DSL-based service, will still have to pay for line rental.
"We started our journey into fibre optic home broadband just over a year ago and are delighted to show that we are a truly innovative and customer focused provider," said Glafkos Persianis, commercial director at Vodafone UK, in a statement.
The cost of renting the physical cable connecting a premises to the network is a contentious issue in the U.K. at the moment.
Telcos have traditionally advertised the line rental fee separately from subscription charges, and in the small print, giving the impression that their service offers better value for money than perhaps it does in reality.
The U.K.’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has taken this view. In May it ruled that from the end of October, operators must advertise all-inclusive, up-front and monthly costs of broadband, including the line rental charge.
"Giving our customers the opportunity to break free from hidden line rental charges is our way of letting our customers know that we are listening and that we are serious about providing them with the unlimited home broadband experience that they deserve," Persianis said.
