Virgin Media and BT broadband are getting some new competition from Vodafone.
The mobile network has just announced a service which will offer customers a minimum guaranteed speed.
If the broadband supplier can’t keep its promise it says customers will get an instant refund of 15 per cent off their monthly bill.
Vodafone’s says its Superfast 1 package will guarantee a minimum speed of 25Mbps and its Superfast 2 package we will guarantee a minimum speed of 55Mbps.
Speaking about the new service, Nick Jeffery, Vodafone UK CEO, said: “Whether running a family or a small business, customers want guaranteed broadband speeds they can rely on.
“That’s why we are launching the ultimate speed guarantee.
“So whether it’s mum, dad and the kids streaming the latest blockbuster on movie night, or a small business owner videoconferencing with clients, they’ll be able to count on us.”
The new broadband packages will be available from March 1 to new and upgrading customers with prices starting from £21 per month.
Before you rush to switch supplier there is one caveat from Vodafone which shouldn’t be ignored.
The firm states that they guarantee sync speeds, i.e. the speed to your home router, not the speed you see on your device.
This is because the throughput speed is affected by many different factors, such as number of users, types of devices and where you position your router.
HERE’S FULL PRICING
Superfast 1 (offering up to 38Mbps) costs £21/month and has a guaranteed minimum speed of 25Mbps (new customers £23/month)
Superfast 2 (offering up to 76Mbps) costs £26/month and has a guaranteed minimum speed of 55Mbps (new customers £28/month)
Vodafone isn’t the first to offer a minimum speed guarantee with BT also unveiling a similar product last year.
The telecoms giant has just announced its new Ultrafast Fibre packages which will bring speeds of over 300Mbps to customers across the UK.
At this full speed you’ll able to download a full HD movie in under three minutes – the same would take almost an hour on current average speeds.
As well as being incredibly fast, BT is also offering compensation if speeds should ever drop below 100Mbps.
BT says no other UK Internet Service Provider currently guarantees these high speeds – backed by compensation.“We are the first and only company to guarantee speeds of 100Mbps for our customers, even at peak times when people really need their broadband to deliver,” said Marc Allera, chief executive of BT Consumer.
“Ultrafast technology is going to be a vital part of a transformation in the speed that our customers receive.
“Whether it is six in the evening or six in the morning, with Ultrafast Fibre everyone can be online at the same time, streaming, downloading and gaming.”