Vodafone UK has today launched a broadband rescue package for the UK’s community of more than five million small businesses to help them get through the Covid-19 crisis and return to work. Vodafone will make Unlimited Business Broadband and Microsoft 365 Business Standard free for six months, with the offer available to all small business owners, including those already in a contract with Vodafone.

The new offer can be taken up anytime in the next three months. This means that small business owners, even those who are already Vodafone broadband customers, can sign up to a new 24-month contract and have the first six months completely free, with no set-up costs. After the first six months, the monthly fee will be the standard Unlimited Vodafone Business Broadband price of £19.17 (excl. VAT) per month for the remaining 18 months, and Microsoft 365 Business Standard for £9.40 (excl. VAT) per month.

Paul McGann, Managing Director of Cat Among the Pigeons, a creative promotional marketing agency based in Leeds said: “With one less bill to think about for six months, this offer will be incredibly helpful to small businesses like us. As a recent start-up, we were just three months into the business plan when the Government advised social distancing and restricted all non-essential travel movement across the UK.  With Vodafone’s fast and reliable broadband connectivity we have been able to maintain our levels of service and carry out business as usual even while working remotely.”

Nick Jeffery, CEO, Vodafone UK, said: “Our role in these challenging times is to keep the UK connected and help businesses return to work. Small businesses have been hit particularly hard by this crisis. By reducing their costs and providing them with our brilliant technology and expertise, we hope to help them get back on their feet and return to growth. A little financial help now will go a long way in the future.”

Microsoft 365 Business Standard provides flexible tools to help business customers work beyond their local desktop wherever they are, with Microsoft software, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, on all devices, stored safely in the cloud.

At the start of the Covid-19 crisis, Vodafone implemented a new policy for the small businesses most at risk within its supply chain to ensure that, for the next six months, all new orders would be paid in 15 days. Vodafone is also providing valuable financial support to small businesses struggling with bill repayments, including a six-month payment plan to spread the cost of their mobile services and a guarantee that businesses will not lose Vodafone services as a result of late payments. For NHS workers, carers, and vulnerable customers, Vodafone has enabled unlimited data at no extra cost for the next six months, for both pay monthly and pay as you go customers.