Whether you’re working from home or just streaming movies, these days you can’t live without broadband.
But as fees keep on creeping higher every year, imagine a broadband provider that paid you for the pleasure of connecting you to the internet.
Although it sounds too good to be true, that is exactly what the Giffgaff, the budget mobile network owned by O2, is offering.
As the company launches its first-ever Wi-Fi connection, Giffgaff is offering £100 to any customer willing to trial the service.
The payment will be given as a bonus to 500 customers who sign up for a trial to use Giffgaff’s brand new broadband for 12 months.
At just £10 per month, this service was already a steal compared to the offers from established providers like Vodafone and Sky.
But with the £100 bonus, it works out that customers will pay just £20 for an entire year of broadband.
Those keen to get in on this limited offer can sign up for a trial on the Giffgaff website and will be contacted with further information if selected.
Giffgaff is offering customers £100 to be one of the first to trial its new broadband service (file photo)
The O2-backed company started offering mobile network services in 2009 but has not yet offered a broadband connection.
Giffgaff says: ‘Broadband should be better. And we want your help to make it happen.
‘Sign up and we’ll choose a select group to help build something special.’
The company confirms that those selected for the trial will receive Giffgaff’s new 500 Megabytes per second (Mbps) full-fibre broadband for 12 months.
The £100 bonus will then be paid out in two instalments, according to the terms and conditions.
The first instalment will be delivered upon installation of the broadband connection, and the second will be paid out a month later.
According to Giffgaff, applications for the trial will close when the capacity of 500 customers is reached or after three months – whichever comes first.
However, if your area doesn’t have access to full-fibre broadband you may not be eligible to take part in the trial.
Those selected for the trial will receive Giffgaff’s new 500 Megabytes per second (Mbps) full-fibre broadband for 12 months
The only thing required in exchange for receiving the £100 payout is that the customer use the broadband and provide ‘feedback’ on the new service.
This is the first time that Giffgaff has attempted to provide broadband services, so potential customers should be aware that there may be some issues.
However, at just £1.67 per month, after the bonus is applied, this is the cheapest possible broadband deal available.
In comparison, Sky Broadband is currently offering a major sale bringing the cost of a connection to its ‘lowest price ever’ of £26 per month for its Full Fiber 150 Mbps plan.
That comes to £624 for a 24-month contract of £312 pounds for a single year of connection.
The company is also offering a contract with its Full Fibre 300 Mbps plan for £28 in a ‘digital exclusive deal’.
Likewise, BT is offering three months for free on selected plans, including the 74 Mbps Full Fibre 2 plan.
However, this still works out as more expensive than both Giffgaff and Sky over the 24-month contract once it reverts to the usual £32.99.
HOW CAN YOU PROTECT YOUR INFORMATION ONLINE?
Because hackers are becoming more creative, security experts are warning that consumers need to take all possible measures to protect their identities (file photo)
- Make your authentication process two-pronged whenever possible. You should choose this option on websites that offer it because when an identity-specific action is required on top of entering your password and username, it becomes significantly harder for fraudsters to access your information.
- Secure your phone. Avoiding public Wifi and installing a screen lock are simple steps that can hinder hackers. Some fraudsters have begun to immediately discount secure phones altogether. Installing anti-malware can also be beneficial.
- Subscribe to alerts. A number of institutions that provide financial services, credit card issuers included, offer customers the chance to be notified when they detect suspicious activity. Turn those notifications on to stay informed about credit card activity linked to your account.
- Be careful when issuing transactions online. Again, some institutions offer notifications to help with this, which will alert you when your card is used online. It might also be helpful to institute limits on amounts that can be spent with your card online.
