Hyperoptic delivers free broadband to thousands of struggling families

Hyperoptic has announced that it has partnered with 37 local authorities in the UK to deliver free 50 Mbps broadband to homes with slower connections in which children are home learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The provider aims to connect at least 2,500 families to this free service, which will be valid until August 31 2021, within the next month. Hyperoptic said that the connection would deliver a consistent service that would not fluctuate depending on the time of day or how many devices are connected.

The company said that: “A router and installation will be arranged free of charge, on a convenient date. The resident is under no obligation to continue or pay for a service after this date.”

To be eligible, families must live in a Hyperoptic-connected local authority property, have at least one child of school age (under 18) residing in the property and must either have no fixed broadband or an unreliable connection.

Telecoms regulator Ofcom has estimated that over 880,000 children in the UK live in a household where the only internet access is from a mobile phone.

Hyperoptic Senior Director of Business Development Liam McAvoy said: “Hyperoptic has always been passionate about giving back to the communities it serves. During the last lockdown, we donated IT equipment towards programmes for children who didn’t have hardware to access educational resources.”

“With the recent news that so many children do not have access to basic connectivity, we knew we had to go further. Every child deserves to be able to virtually learn and harness the opportunities that are enabled by connectivity. We hope others in the industry join us in providing free connectivity to families that need most.”

UK Digital Infrastructure Minister Matt Warman commented: “Good connectivity is vital for children learning remotely right now so I’m thrilled to see broadband providers such as Hyperoptic helping those in need.”

“The government has also brokered a range of offers with telecoms firms to keep people connected during the pandemic, including removing broadband data caps and support for those struggling with bills due to COVID, and we will continue to do whatever we can to help.”