With the second national lockdown in full swing and schools now closed, we can all appreciate the importance of keeping our children educated in these troubling times. On 6th January, Ofcom announced they have released guidance to support families and their children to get online and continue essential learning.

Staying connected

The Coronavirus has been extremely tough for everyone. However, those with young children have had the additional struggle of having to rely on their home internet connection for online education. Not only this, but with the whole family staying safe at home, internet speeds have had to keep up with home working, streaming services, and other regular usage alongside online learning programs.

Your children�s education will, of course, always be a high priority. That�s why we want to ensure you have a superfast and reliable broadband connection throughout the pandemic. Our unique �Office in a Box� solution provides the simple, plug and play answer to increasing your home broadband speeds in an instant. We will send you a secure, 4G router reaching speeds of up to 50mbps direct to your door in a matter of days, so that your children can be up and learning in no time, without interruption.

Supporting families and the vulnerable with online access

With the Government now committed to providing devices to help children get online, phone and broadband companies have also now stepped up to assist in the cause. Ofcom have been working closely with providers to ensure people continue to have access to the services they need. This includes people who may be in financial difficulty following the Coronavirus outbreak.

On 23rd July 2020, Ofcom published their �best practice industry guidance�, which was created to ensure that vulnerable customers were given the right support by phone, broadband and pay-TV providers. This included customers suffering from mental health, financial, and bereavement issues, as well as unemployment and victims of crime.

What are companies doing to keep customers connected?

According to Ofcom, all major companies have now removed data caps on their broadband packages. This means that parents can rest easy knowing that their children can access online learning without restrictions on data usage, thus preventing any increases in broadband costs.

It has also been announced that some broadband providers now offer special tariffs for households receiving below a certain income. Ofcom have urged all providers to make packages such as this available if they have not already, and encourage customers to ask the question to their supplier regarding eligibility.

There are a small proportion of UK households that do not have a broadband connection, and therefore, rely on their mobile data to get online. Various mobile companies are now increasing their data allowances on tariffs for free, including those taking part in the UK Government initiative to help vulnerable children without access to a computer.

For more information on how Telecoms World can support your home working, or boost your internet speeds, please contact our team of experts on 0800 774 7772.

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