Thousands of families across the UK who are facing difficulties with home learning due to inadequate internet access are now being offered free high-speed broadband. This initiative is a collaboration between internet provider Hyperoptic and numerous local authorities nationwide, aiming to support children’s education during a period of widespread remote learning.
The scheme targets families in 37 local authority areas, spanning from London’s Tower Hamlets to cities like Newcastle and Leeds. These households, identified as struggling with remote education due to either poor or non-existent internet connections, will be eligible for a high-speed broadband installation at no cost. The service will be provided with no usage charges until the conclusion of the summer school term, after which families will have no obligation to continue with the service.
This move comes as telecoms regulator Ofcom highlighted the significant challenge of digital exclusion, estimating that more than 880,000 children in the UK live in households where internet access is solely available via a mobile phone. Such a reliance can present considerable barriers to effective online learning, where stable and high-speed connections are often essential for accessing educational resources, participating in virtual classrooms, and submitting assignments.
Liam McAvoy, Senior Director of Business Development at Hyperoptic, emphasised the importance of connectivity for all children. He stated that every child deserves the opportunity to learn virtually and harness the benefits that internet access provides, expressing hope that other industry players would follow suit in offering free connectivity to families most in need. The company has indicated that users of this package can expect a consistent, unlimited data service, unaffected by the time of day or the number of connected devices.
This initiative builds upon broader efforts by the UK’s major telecoms companies, including BT (which owns EE), Vodafone, Sky, Virgin Media, O2, and Three, all of whom have launched various programmes offering free data and internet packages to help students during lockdown. Hyperoptic has an ambitious target to connect at least 2,500 families through this specific offer within the next month, aiming to make an immediate impact on the digital divide.