UK Online offers free broadband connection to small businesses

The deal is being offered as part of UK Online’s commitment to delivering broadband to the UK’s 4.1m small businesses with less than ten employees. A recent study carried out by Dynamic Markets on behalf of UK Online, recorded that two-thirds of small businesses are still operating without an internet connection.

UK Online’s Business Broadband service starts at £19.99 per month and includes 24x7 UK based freephone technical support, up to 8Mb, 20 e-mail addresses and free McAfee Internet Security Suite, worth £49.99. The waiving of the connection fee, which amounts to a saving of £25, is expected to be very attractive to many of the UK’s small businesses without an online connection.

UK Online was founded in 1994 as a dial up ISP and acquired by business broadband supplier and local loop unbundling pioneer Easynet in 1996. Easynet was then acquired in early 2006 by BSkyB to provide the platform to launch Sky Broadband in July 2006.

UK Online has a reputation for providing high speed, reliable broadband and dial-up Internet access to consumers across the UK. The network covers more than half of the UK’s homes and small businesses. Broadband services outside of this area are provided via BT’s network.

The initiative is part of UK Online’s decision to refocus its service on micro-businesses. The ISP has stopped short of providing service level agreements, which are a core feature of most business packages, but has made clear its service level targets on its website and in its terms and conditions.