NEWS Tesco is to become a provider of broadband internet access, playing on a down-to-earth approach, customer loyalty and its ability to cross-sell other branded services.
The retailer is billing Tesco Broadband as both the "cheapest full 512K (sic) speed, unlimited service on offer in the UK from any major service provider" and "designed by children so adults can understand it".
It was developed using a panel of parents and their children who attend Ripple Infant and Junior School in Barking, Essex.
The company's communications partner in Tesco Broadband is NTL.
A spokeswoman said: "In a family, people use broadband in different ways. It's the kids who typically deal with bigger files, with things like games and video, but with a capped service parents are worrying all the time."
The service costs £19.97 per month, compared to around £25 for similar offerings from the likes of AOL, BT and Tiscali - though Tesco is aware this is a market changing fast and is being careful about claiming to be the cheapest anywhere.
Connection and an ADSL modem are free, as is support, though only for the first 30 days. Thereafter it is 50p per minute. A firewall as well as antivirus and anti-spam protection is bundled with the service.
The retailer, which has operations in countries such as South Korea where extensive broadband coverage has made online shopping easier, is clearly hoping for some cross over with its other services.
Users will earn Clubcard points (one point per pound spent) and it is hoped customers will be those who use Tesco for voice calls, mobile calls and ecommerce through Tesco.com - naturally made easier with a broadband connection.
Tesco Broadband is available now, either from the Tesco website or from 700 stores nationwide, on CD-ROM.
Comments
There are 24 comments. Join the discussion
1. peas
2Gig cap is a joke
A 2Gb/s monthly download cap is a joke and anyone one buys a capped broadband service has been badly misled.
Power users will do 2Gig in a single evening and even occasional users can go over that just downloading spam, music and looking at web pages can do more that 2Gig in a month.
We campaigned for a long time to get unmetered internet access. Don't let those scum bags remove it by the back door
2. Robert Privett
A 2Gb cap is a hidden charge, by the time you have downloaded your Spam and Virus infested e-mail and a few MS updates there went your 2Gb monthly allowance, so forget the on-line reserch you wanted to do or your friends web site you wanted to see. The imposition of caps should only be put on these spam sites, don't I wish.
3. anonymous
Tesco and NTL both deny any Broadband liaison to this narrowband NTL customer, query.
Any explanation please?
4. royston
if its capped its useless, simple as that. by the time you get microsoft udates etc its gone. then you start payeing? forget that crap, i would sooner pay my present isp the extra cash and not worry about it. even if some companies say " theres a warning when you reach the limit so you are safe" so what! my isp charges 24.99 i can use it 24/7 download as much as i want give my wife to use, then the kids when they visit to use and i get no warnings about usage etc etc. well worth the money. it wont be long before the price of that comes down either !..besides.....i shop at asda and its cheaper and kwik save and farmfoods and the local freezer center which is cheap and good quality food. i wonder if asda might get on the bandwagon and start selling broadband.....WITH NO CAPPING. tesco beware! get yer cash in before they do or your gonna be in trouble. whats the slogan? slap yer back pocket and get the price promise of being cheaper. ha ha ha ha! what a lark
5. Grimrikk
Capping sux - what about peeps who get BB for online gaming and hit their cap because too much data has been passed through!
Are they supposed to wait for next month to start their game again!!!
I will always make sure me internet is uncapped and free to use anytime :)
6. Leigh Lawrance
MY BROADBAND CONNECTION WAS SUPPOSED TO COMMENCE ON 8 OCTOBER 2004. I AM STILL WAITING FOR THE MODEM ON 18 OCTOBER 2004. I ASSUME THAT I AM NOT BEING CHARGED FOR THIS POOR SERVICE. MUCH LONGER AND TESCO MIGHT BE TOLD WHERE TO PUT THEIR BROADBAND.
7. anonymous
Over 15 days ago I ordered broadband with you, up to now I have heard nothing pleas can you let me know what is happening.
tracking order no 124884
THANKYOU
8. Roy Styles
A firewall as well as antivirus and anti-spam protection is bundled with the service.
At a cost of 50p per month extra.
Still cheap though.
9. anonymous
Little confused, the article indicates that there is no cap, and no mention of extra for antivirus, firewall etc. What's the deal here, is it £19.99 inclusive as I had been led to believe, or are their caps etc. which would make it a much less attractive proposition?
10. anonymous
Have been waiting nearly a month now for Tesco broadband. Initially told only 2 weeks; after loads of phone calls to Tesco and BT eventually got modem, but still waiting for line to be activated. Another week and I'll be cancelling if nothing happens. Never had this problem with freeserve.
11. anonymous
I APPLIED FOR TESCO BROADBAND ON 1st SEPTEMBER 2004 AND IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE UP AND RUNNING WITHIN 10 DAYS I AM STILL WAITING ON 16th NOVEMBER THEY KEEP GIVING ME SOME STORY ABOUT BT HAVING TO EXPAND SOMETHING IN THEIR EXCHANGE YET CUSTOMERS OF OTHER BROADBAND PROVIDERS HAVENT HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH THEIR CONNECTIONS
12. anonymous
The village where I live was granted broadband by BT on 3rd July. However, Tesco inform me it is not yet available.
13. ALEX
ITS ALL HICUPS, TRYING TO GET ON TO BROADBAND, TRYING TO GET A REPLY TO E MAIL, GETTING SET UP, GETTING THROUGH TO HELP DESK, 0800 479 8181,
AND NOW I AM ON, UNABLE TO CONNECT UP UNTILL AFTER MANY ATTEMPTS, AND THEN, GETTING DISCONNECTED WHEN USING.
ITS BEING RUN ON A SHOE STRING BY CHANCERS, "DUE TO THE RESPONSE", ETC
NOT OUR PROBLEM ITS YOURS!!!IN 12 MONTHS A CHOICE WILL BE AVAILABLE, SO BUCK UP, AND BUCK UP FAST, OR WE ALL WALK!!!
DONT EVEN THINK OF PHONING "CUSTOMER CARE" UNLESS YOU LIKE NAFF MUSIC.
A MULTI BILLION COMPANY? AND SOD THE CUSTOMERS, FURTHER YOUR FRUIT IS THIRD RATE, I GET MINE NEXT DOOR IN MARKS!!!
14. Alex Cobb
Nine weeks ago I ordered, no connection or idea when conection will be available. I get the stock email of the exchange is at capacity whick is total BULL!!!! BT have confirmed there is ample capacity and o upgrades are due. Two of my colleagues are on BB who applied after me. Now they have emailed asking me not to email as they are so busy. Great service!!!!!!!
15. anonymous
As with a lot of your other comments, I have been waiting for 7 weeks for my connection. Not to Hot.Yet still they give away the Broadband CD in there stores.
16. Phil
At the end of Jan 05 my contract with BT BB comes up for renewal. I was considering going to Tesco BB. But after reading the comments here, I'm unsure whether I should stay with BT or go over to Tesco. Think I'm gonna have to do a little more reseach!!
17. gb
I was thinking about going with Tesco broadband but not anymore after reading all the horror stories here and elsewhere. I think I will go with Supanet who are the same price as Tesco for 512K and only £23 for a 1Mb connection. Any comments about them?
18. anonymous
trying to decide where to move from aol to reduce my monthly cost thought of virgin and tesco but after reading all this i may just stop with aol
19. anonymous
don't bother with tesco broadband - it randonly fails to connect then you have the joy of hanging onto a premiun rate phone number while nobody does anything to help you. absolutely rubbish and not what i would have exepected from Tesco.
20. BJ
I had similar problems when I initially joined Tesco Broadband from dial up. Firstly they cancelled my dial up connection before my broadband connection was up and running. Two weeks later I was finally online but all the calling and pleading and even threatening didn't get them to pull their fingers out of their arses. The get 0/10 for customer service. I even tried to get a refund for the two weeks that I had no connection, dream on, Like getting blood out of a stone. with all that said I have to add that I have had absolutely no problem with the connection at all to date (touch wood) so in that respect its damn good and I'm on it 24/7. It's just getting connect thats the problem!!!!!
21. anonymous
we have never had a problem with tesco broadband,i suppose with being new to broadband they have had a few teething problems.I would just like to say hurry tesco we want at least 2mb,576.0 kbps is getting outdated everyday
22. anonymous
there is always problems trying to find adsl providers that dont stick you, but there are some who provide constant online no hidden charges and no capping but these are at a lower rate but i find that my 512mbps is fine and fast download what you want no extra charge.
all the ones that offer 2meg have caps go to yahoo search for : adsl providers.org and see!!!
23. A very unhappy potential customer
Today I gave notice to cancel my broadband account with tiscali as I obviously believed wrong that Tesco was offering a 1GB connection for £19.99 only to find out whilst shopping today that you where in fact only offering 512k for £19.97. I was already getting this service with Tiscali for £15.99 a month an dbecause I had had service with them for over 12 months I would have been giving the 1GM for the same money. How disapointed I was, it would no seem that I will have to ring Tiscali and eat humble pie and retract my cancellation and re-instate my standing order to them. I'm sure that when I was in Cornwall this offer was there for the 1GB for £19.97 which would at least earned me Tesco points
24. anonymous
Tesco appears to have gone to sleep. I am paying £17:99 each month and have had no connection and no useful help since 13/12/05. I have been given (when I finally got through to them by phone) a supposed Internet, via Google, fix which I cannot access. I am currently using my local library computers, when they are open. I have written to Tesco and E-mailed them but received no replies. I am assuming that they are E-mailing me which is a quite useless exercise whilst I am unconnected at home.