SubscribeBritish supermarket giant Tesco is reportedly preparing to offer budget-priced fiber broadband service to shoppers, according to ISPreview, which discovered the offer on a hidden web page.
Customers will be offered unlimited use 38Mbps entry-level service for around $12.50 a month for the first six months, and $25 a month thereafter. A one time charge of $83 applies unless customers enroll in an 18-month contract. A fiber activation fee of $75 also applies. A wireless router is provided for free after a $8.25 shipping and handling fee.
Tesco frequent shopper Clubcard members will also earn points good for shopping discounts when subscribed to Tesco’s broadband service, which effectively further reduces its monthly cost.
Unfortunately, existing Tesco broadband and home phone customers will not be eligible for the fiber promotion.
“If you currently have both a broadband and a home phone service with us, unfortunately we currently cannot upgrade you to fiber. We’re working on this and plan to roll it out Spring/Summer 2014,” read a statement on its help and support website.
In contrast, Americans pay an average of $63 a month for 25/5Mbps usage-capped cable broadband, including equipment rentals and surcharges, where applicable.
You forgot to include the £15.40/month line rental that British Telecom charges all UK ISPs charge for access to their lines and switching stations (a legacy from their national monopoly days). Any service that requires a connection to the phone socket is assessed this fee, fiber or copper. The fee can typically be reduced to around £10.50/month if paid a year in advance. That adds between $18 and $26 to the monthly costs, bringing the total up to around $45 – $50 a month once the offer period is over. Not as great a savings over the US prices but… Read more »