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Major mobile provider extends FREE data scheme for people struggling with bills – how to get it

Customers can now receive 25GB of free data for 12 months

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A MAJOR telecoms provider has extended its free data scheme for people struggling with bills – just in time for connecting with family and friends over Christmas.

Virgin Media O2 is transforming a further 70 O2 stores into National Databank Hubs to help those on low incomes struggling with bills.

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Customers can now receive 25GB of free 02 data for 12 months

The National Databank is like a food bank but provides free mobile data, texts and calls.

The company has now rolled out the National Databank to all O2 stores nationwide and is providing free O2 mobile data, texts and calls to people who need it, regardless of their mobile operator.

Customers can receive 25GB of free O2 data per month for 12 months.

This connectivity will support people experiencing data poverty to access essential websites and manage everyday tasks, such as booking medical appointments, applying for work, and online training.

And it will also help them keep in touch with loved ones over the festive period and beyond.

It comes as new research reveals that 26%of Brits on low incomes (those with a household income of less than £15,000) are struggling to afford their mobile phone bill.

More than half of them say they’d feel lonely if they couldn’t access the internet or mobile data at home.

Meanwhile, nearly eight in 10 say they’d feel alone or isolated if they didn’t have mobile data over the Christmas period and couldn’t connect with their family or friends.

A lot of customers also claim to miss out on the moments that make Christmas more enjoyable, such as sending festive messages or photos or videos from their Christmas celebrations, if they don’t have mobile data.

To help cash-strapped customers with these issues, O2 will be providing free internet data during the holiday season.

To be eligible for free data from the National Databank, a recipient must fulfil these criteria:

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  • Age: Must be 18 years or older.
  • Income: Must belong to a low-income household.
  • Internet Access:
  • And/or have no access or insufficient access to the internet at home,
  • And/or no or insufficient access to the internet when away from home
  • And/or being unable to afford their existing monthly contract or top-up.

There are 1,200 National Databank hubs across the country where people can visit to sign up for a sim card.

The scheme also visits various schools up and down the UK to get in touch with vulnerable parents.

You can apply via your nearest hub which you can find online here: //www.o2.co.uk/national-databank.

Nicola Green from Virgin Media O2 said: “We know that people experiencing poverty are having to make difficult choices around how they spend their money – but affording mobile data shouldn’t be one of them.

The new National Databank Hubs located in O2 stores

  • Antrim – The Junction.
  • Armagh – Mall Shopping Centre
  • Barnstaple
  • Belfast – Kennedy Centre
  • Bexleyheath
  • Birmingham – The Fort Shopping Centre
  • Bishop Auckland
  • Bishop’s Stortford
  • Burnley – The Mall
  • Chester – Broughton Shopping Park
  • Christchurch
  • Cirencester
  • Cookstown
  • Coventry – Arena Shopping Park
  • Didcot – The Orchard Centre
  • Doncaster – Frenchgate Centre
  • Downpatrick
  • Edgware
  • Edinburgh – Cameron Toll Shopping Centre
  • Ellesmere Port – Coliseum Shopping Park
  • Enniskillen – Erneside Shopping Centre
  • Havant – Meridian Centre
  • Hempstead Valley – Hempstead Valley Shopping Centre
  • Hounslow
  • Ilford – The Exchange Centre
  • Keighley
  • Leicester – Beaumont Shopping Centre
  • Leigh – Spinning Gate Shopping Centre
  • Lichfield
  • Limavady
  • Liverpool – Liverpool Shopping Park
  • London – Brixton
  • London – Colliers Wood, Tandem Centre
  • London – Eltham
  • London – Lewisham, Lewisham Shopping Centre
  • London – Stratford Centre
  • London – Stratford Westfield
  • London – Tottenham Court Road
  • London – Walthamstow, &17Central
  • London – Wandsworth, Southside Centre
  • London – Wood Green
  • London – Woolwich
  • Londonderry – Foyleside Shopping Centre
  • Loughborough
  • Magherafelt – Meadowlane Centre
  • Market Harborough
  • Newmarket – The Guineas
  • Newtownabbey – Abbey Centre
  • Ormskirk
  • Penrith – New Squares
  • Penzance
  • Rochdale – Rochdale Exchange Shopping Centre
  • Rugby – Junction One Retail Park
  • Skegness – Hildreds Shopping Centre
  • Stamford
  • Strabane
  • Trowbridge – The Shires Shopping Centre
  • Truro – Lemon Quay Retail Park
  • Welwyn Garden City – Howard Centre
  • West Bromwich – New Square
  • Worksop – Bridge Place
  • Bolton – Middlebrook Retail Park
  • Bridlington – The Promenade
  • Middleton – Middleton Shopping Centre
  • Preston – Deepdale Shopping Park
  • Sheffield – Crystal Peaks Shopping Centre
  • Skipton
  • Thornton Cleveleys
  • Washington – The Galleries
  • Shrewsbury

“That’s why Virgin Media O2 has rolled out the National Databank to all its O2 stores nationwide, offering free O2 mobile data to connect people in need, so they can get online and stay in touch with their loved ones this Christmas and beyond.”

The campaign is being backed by campaigner and actor Will Mellor, who said: “It’s heartbreaking to think there are people who can’t connect with their loved ones this Christmas.

“I experienced poverty first-hand when I was growing up, so I appreciate how vital initiatives such as the National Databank are to underprivileged communities who are struggling to afford connectivity.

“I would encourage anyone who’s in need to visit their local O2 store to get free mobile data for 12 months so they can get online and stay connected to everything and everyone they love this Christmas and beyond.”

The National Databank forms part of a series of measures Virgin Media O2 has in place to support people in need so they can stay connected.

This includes the company’s social tariffs for people who receive government support payments, such as Essential Broadband and the O2 Essential plan.

OTHER SOCIAL TARIFFS

A NUMBER of other firms offer social broadband tariffs too.

You’ll have to check directly to see if your region is eligible.

The total amount you’ll save will also vary depending on which provider you switch to.

4th Utility Social Tariff

  • £13.99 a month
  • 30 Mbit/s speed

Community Fibre Essential

  • £12.50 a month
  • 35 Mbit/s speed

Connect Fibre Basic Essentials

  • £20 a month
  • 50 Mbit/s speed

Country Connect Social Tariff

  • £15 a month
  • 50 Mbit/s speed

EE Basics

  • £12 a month
  • 25 Mbit/s speed

Fibrus Full Fibre Essential:

  • £14.99 a month
  • 50 Mbit/s speed

G. Network Essential Fibre Broadband

  • £15 a month
  • 50 Mbit/s speed

Grayshott Gigabit Connect

  • £19 a month
  • 100 Mbit/s speed

Hey! Broadband Everyday Fibre

  • £16 a month
  • 100 Mbit/s speed

Hyperoptic Fair Fibre 50:

  • £15 a month
  • 50 Mbit/s speed

KCOM

  • £14.99 a month
  • 30 Mbit/s speed

Lightning Fibre Social Tariff

  • £15 a month
  • 50 Mbits/s speed

Lothian Broadband Social Tariff

  • £19.99 a month
  • 100 Mbits/s speed

NOW Broadband Basics:

  • £20 a month
  • 36 Mbits/s speed

Quickline Social Tariff

  • £16.50 a month
  • 100 Mbit/s speed

Run Fibre Social Tariff

  • £20 a month
  • 100 Mbit/s speed

Truespeed Basic

  • £20 a month
  • 30 Mbit/s speed

Wildanet Helping Hand Social Tariff:

  • £20 a month
  • 30-100 Mbits/s speed

WightFibre Essential Broadband

  • £16.50 a month
  • 100 Mbit/s speed

YouFibre Social Tariff

  • £15 a month
  • 50 Mbit/s speed

Help if you are struggling to pay your bill

If you are struggling to pay your mobile phone bill or you owe your provider money then there are things you can do.

You may be able to switch providers or move to a different contract to get a cheaper deal.

Or if you provider has told you they’re increasing the price of your contract then you may be able to cancel.

Some providers will give you 30 days to cancel your contract without a fee if the price is going up.

Always tell your provider if you are struggling to pay so they can tell you about any support they have on offer.

Most providers will charge you a fee to leave your contract before it ends.

However, some providers will let you leave early without paying a fee if you are struggling to keep up with your payments.

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