East Yorkshire rural broadband provider Quickline has launched a pioneering deal to “rescue” customers locked into slow services with other providers. The ‘free until you’re free’ offer - believed to be the only one of its kind in the industry - will connect new customers immediately, but only start charging when existing contracts expire.
It avoids hefty exit fees while ensuring those struggling with speeds don’t miss out on the enhanced connectivity offered by the Willerby-based firm’s innovative solutions for hard-to-reach communities.
Sean Royce, Quickline’s chief executive, said: “We don’t believe any customer should suffer with a poor broadband service. Broadband is so important to daily life, from work to socialising, and choosing to live in a rural area shouldn’t be at the expense of having great internet access.
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“That’s why we’ve launched this new initiative, which we believe is unique in the industry. For too long, many rural customers have been locked into lengthy contracts while receiving an unreliable, slow service. We think our new offer will change that and give customers a high-quality alternative.”
Quickline delivers full fibre and fixed wireless broadband to rural communities across Yorkshire and Lincolnshire and the new offer underlines the provider’s commitment to close the digital divide between urban and more remote areas. Customers who are unhappy with their current broadband provider, but are locked into a contract, can sign up for a 24-month package with Quickline, receiving the service immediately, without the bill.
The importance of connecting rural areas with quality broadband has been highlighted in new research commissioned by Virgin Media O2 and economic consultancy Cebr. It found that providing all rural areas with “excellent digital connectivity” could add £65.1bn to the UK economy and create over a quarter of a million jobs.
Quickline’s network – which covers North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, North Lincolnshire and Lincolnshire – focuses exclusively on rural areas. The company is one of the UK’s fastest-growing broadband providers, having received a £500 million investment by owner Northleaf Capital Partners.
It has backed the further development of a market-leading hybrid network, combining fibre and 5G wireless technology to provide “rock-solid, reliable broadband without compromising on speed”.
