LONDON, March 29 (Reuters) - Britain's big telecoms
providers have agreed to remove all data caps on fixed-line
broadband services that have become a lifeline for people
isolated at home during the coronavirus crisis, the government
said on Sunday.
The companies, which include BT, Virgin Media
, Sky and TalkTalk, committed to
support and protect vulnerable customers during the pandemic
after talks with the government and regulator Ofcom.
Other measures include helping customers who find it
difficult to pay bills as a result of the epidemic, improving
mobile and landline packages to ensure people can stay
connected, and prioritising repairs for vulnerable customers.
"It is essential that people stay at home to protect the NHS
(health service) and save lives. This package helps people to
stay connected whilst they stay home," Digital Secretary Oliver
Dowden said in the government statement.
Many of the companies have already taken steps to support
customers during the crisis, including making it easier for
vulnerable people to access information they need.
The other companies that agreed to the commitments were
Openreach, O2, Vodafone, Three,
Hyperoptic, Gigaclear and KCOM.
(Reporting by Paul Sandle;
Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)