Vodafone is giving free unlimited mobile data to half a million of its pay monthly subscribers.
The gesture according to the company is a way of showing support to its customers during the coronavirus pandemic.
Also, customers considered “vulnerable” will be automatically upgraded, it said, while others can apply.
This comes a day after Vodafone was heavily criticized for announcing price increases during the
According to the BBC, many mobile operators and other services raise their prices in April each year, by an amount linked to inflation.
Other phone operators had already announced their price increases before people began to lose their jobs during the coronavirus shutdown.
A spokesman said of the 25% price rise, “we appreciate now is not a good time to be communicating a price rise.
A Vodafone spokesman also explained that the “vulnerable” customers who will be automatically upgraded are those with declared disabilities or mental health issues, “among other things.” Those customers will receive a text telling them about it.
The company also stated that another half a million subscribers will be able to apply for the free 30 days through Vodafone’s rewards scheme in the company’s app.
The initial limit will be opened up later if the network can do so, with Vodafone saying it will monitor usage during the first wave.
The offer is likely to be taken up quickly, said analyst Kester Mann from CCS Insight.
He said, “It will be well received by many following the unfortunate timing of a planned RPI-linked price rise announced yesterday.”
He said mobile operators, which have traditionally had low levels of consumer trust, were keen to take measures to keep people connected during the pandemic.
Mann also said that the move by Vodafone is not free for the company as any surge in data usage will have some cost impact. The plan would only pay off in the future if people who have unlimited data realize its benefit and move to an unlimited data plan in the future.
The analyst said, “Network operators have a huge role to play in times of crisis and it’s becoming increasingly clear why they’re regarded as critical national infrastructure.
“Maybe more than ever, this is a great opportunity for the telecom industry to enhance its reputation.”
