Mobile operators, MVNOs and regulators response to Covid-19
Allan T. Rasmussen (?????? ?????????)
Technology, Media, & Telecom (TMT) Executive ? MVNA / MVNE / MVNO Specialist
A non-comprehensive collection of free offers, services and initiatives, from various mobile operators, MVNOs and regulators in response to Covid-19
ARMENIA
Ucom subscribers can use governmental web portals, including certain educational web resources, without paying for mobile traffic. The promotion is linked to the covid-19 outbreak and will run until the end of the state of emergency declared by the Government.
AUSTRALIA
Vodafone is providing additional data and other initiatives to support all Vodafone customers who may be spending more time at home in response to Covid-19. The company is giving Vodafone postpaid customers who are not on an endless data plan an additional 5 GB of max speed data to use in the next month. That data will be added to all plans by 27 March.
Optus will offer eligible Postpaid mobile customers a one-off add-on of 20GB of data during April 2020. Eligible Prepaid customers that recharge with $40 or more during April will receive 10GB of extra data. Each offer can be activated through the My Optus App.
Telstra will provide its customers with unlimited data at no additional charge on their plan until 30 April. Post-paid customers receive an extra 25GB of data on their plan to use in Australia within 30 days. Prepaid customers with an active recharge of $40+ can get 10GB of additional data to use in Australia within 28-30 days (depending on their plan)
https://www.gadgetguy.com.au/covid-19-offers-optus-and-telstra-free-data-to-help-stay-connected/
BAHRAIN
Zain Bahrain has launched free internet access for online educational platforms to help students maintain their education continuity during the COVID-19 outbreak. The free access will be given to home broadband and fibre customers only, and the data will not be deducted from their monthly broadband packages until 29 March.
BELGIUM
MVNO Mobile Vikings is offering customers free calls and extra data until 05 April, while confinement rules are in place to fight the spread of the coronavirus. The offer applies to both prepaid and postpaid customers.
BRAZIL
TIM Brasil will release twice as much data in international roaming in the US and Europe for those customers who, are outside Brazil. To encourage remote work, the company will not count data traffic from Microsoft Office 365 tools for all postpaid customers.
BULGARIA
Telenor Bulgaria urged all customers to Stay at home and join the efforts for tackling the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The operator will provide a range of free data, minutes, digital services to all customers.
A1 Bulgaria is giving away free access to over 200 TV channels and 10 GB of mobile internet to encourage customers to stay home and not take the unnecessary risks of spreading coronavirus. From 16 March, A1 will provide over 200 TV channels to its TV clients for free for a month. The TV channels will be unlocked for customers no matter what their subscription plan was before the emergency.
CANADA
Videotron announce that roaming rates and related fees for Daily Traveler Pass have been cancelled for travelers outside Canada until April 30, 2020. Videotron customers can now use their mobile phone anywhere in the world in accordance with their current Mobile plan they have in Canada.
https://videotron.com/residential/p/services/covid-19/A-psku13490133e
Bell announce that for wireless customers travelling abroad, Roam Better and pay per use roaming charges will be waived from today until April 30. Fees will be waived automatically. Bell is also working with the federal government and other carriers to support Canadians living or travelling abroad by sending them text messages about Canadian consular support and other useful information.
Rogers and its sub-brands are waiving long distance voice calling fees across Canada from now until April 30 for wireless, landline and small business customers subscribed to Rogers, Fido and Chatr. For customers currently outside of Canada - or are making their way home, Rogers and Fido are going to waive Roam like Home, Fido Roam and pay-per-use roaming fees in all available destinations for postpaid consumers and small businesses. The national carrier also says that services will not be suspended or disconnected for any customers experiencing financial difficulties over the next 90 days
https://mobilesyrup.com/2020/03/16/rogers-offering-free-tv-channels-global-roaming-covid-19/
Telus will waive all Easy Roam and Pay Per Use mobility roaming charges for Telus and Koodo customers in countries with Level 3 advisories (i.e. China and Italy) through the end of April. It will also support customers facing financial challenges because of COVID-19 by providing flexible payment options
https://mobilesyrup.com/2020/03/13/canadian-telecom-companies-help-customers-covid-19/
Shaw Communication is giving everyone complimentary and unrestricted access to Shaw Go WIFI network hotspots regardless of whether or not they’re a Shaw customer.
https://newsroom.shaw.ca/materialDetail.aspx?MaterialID=6442452341
SaskTel: From March 17 to 31, 2020, SaskTel will automatically waive all data overage charges for wireless (postpaid and prepaid) and fusion Internet customers to ensure those working and studying from home and remotely can use as much data as they need.
https://support.sasktel.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/25281
MobileSyrup has a rundown on what the Canadian telecom companies are doing to help customers during COVID-19 and will update this, as more telecom companies announce COVID-19 responses.
https://mobilesyrup.com/2020/03/13/canadian-telecom-companies-help-customers-covid-19/
CROATIA
Tele2 Croatia offers free data traffic for educational content and is also in regular contact with the Ministry of Science and Education regarding distance education plans to arrange for the provision of additional SIM cards and their priority allocation.
CZECH REPUBLIC
MVNO Sazkamobil has introduced free on-net calls and SMS for its prepaid customers to support communications during the coronavirus threat. The promotion is valid when activating on the operator's app, website or over SMS a special bundle including unlimited on-net calls and SMS. The bundle will be free until the end of March.
https://www.telecompaper.com/news/sazkamobil-offers-free-on-net-calls-sms-until-end-march--1330708
T-Mobile Czech Republic his offering unlimited data traffic for both consumer and B2B customers until 30 April, including for EU roaming. In addition, it offers a 50% rebate on new prepaid cards bought from the website or mobile app My T-Mobile.
DENMARK
YouSee: Due to the current situation, Danes abroad are in need of contacting family and authorities - both in Denmark and locally. As of Friday, March 20, all YouSee mobile customers can call and text free of charge from abroad and home. At the same time, it will also be free to call locally in the country of residence and receive calls abroad.
ESTONIA
Tele2 Estonia said customers can make free calls to physicians as health care sites get overloaded because of the coronavirus threat. The option is available using a special premium telephone number.
GERMANY
Telekom Deutschland: Every MagentaMobil customers has been given an additional 10 GB of data per month (Available from the MeinMagenta App) so customer can get online when it matters.
Enterprise customer are given Office 365 free of charge for 3 months as well as Cisco Webex Conferencing Services to enable working from home without restrictions. Enterprise customers are also getting an additional 10 GB of data volume per month.
Schools are provided with cloud-based web conferencing services - free of charge for 3 months for teachers to exchange ideas with their pupils.
https://www.telekom.de/start/wir-verbinden
GREECE
Cosmote adopted a series of actions, these include the provision of free mobile data to all Cosmote mobile subscribers, free airtime, SMS and data to its subscribers in Italy and Spain, as well as the provision of free television content to all Greek audiences via YouTube.
ITALY
MVNO CoopVoce has responded to the government's “digital solidarity” by offering all customers with an active mobile data plan a total of 100GB of free data on TIM's network for a month. The bundle is valid for 30 days and can be activated via the CoopVoce app or by sending an SMS to the operator.
https://www.telecompaper.com/news/italys-coopvoce-offers-100gb-per-client-for-coronavirus--1330504
Digital Solidarity: In Italy, a large range of companies and associations have joined the “Digital Solidarity” Initiative to provide free services, ranging from connectivity, smart working, e-learning, etc.
https://solidarietadigitale.agid.gov.it/#/
KAZAKHSTAN
Kar-Tel, working under the Beeline Kazakhstan brand, said customers can use free service packages for calls while roaming, and will also get a 2 GB mobile data traffic package and 30 minutes of calls for one month.
https://www.telecompaper.com/news/kar-tel-offers-free-calls-for-people-abroad--1331238
KENYA
Telkom Kenya has joined Safaricom in waiving fees for transactions below KES 1,000 to minimise the use of physical cash in light of the Covid-19 pandemic. Telkom said this follows a meeting of the Central Bank of Kenya governor with all telecom firms and other industry players, to encourage the use of mobile money and other forms of cashless payment.
LATVIA
Bite Latvia has introduced free services for healthcare staff, Hospitals, outpatient clinics and other healthcare sites which are corporate customers of the operator will be able to use telecommunications services from the operator free for three months.
https://www.telecompaper.com/news/bite-latvia-offers-free-services-to-hospitals-physicians--1331168
MALAYSIA
U Mobile will double its hotspot data quota for customers of their prepaid GX38 plan and postpaid GX50, GX68, Unlimited HERO P99 and Unlimited HERO P139 plans for free, starting from 19 March 2020. The telco decided that The Hottest Spot is especially relevant during the nationwide movement control period as their customers will have a greater need to share their hotspot data with family members or housemates who are also based at home and need data to work, stream, game or just be updated of current events during this period of limited movement.
https://www.u.com.my/about-us/press-release/1499
MACEDONIA
A1 Makedonija is providing an additional 10 GB of internet capacity for all mobile users, as well as seven film and children's TV channels free of charge to all TV customers. Users will be able to activate the mobile internet through the Mojot A1 app, and postpaid users can use the internet for 30 days from the day of activation, while prepaid users have seven days.
MALDIVES
Dhiraagu has introduced special packages to support small and medium businesses as the global outbreak of Covid-19 hits Maldives. Dhiraagu will provide its business customers with a 25 percent discount on monthly rental on their Biz Fixed Broadband packages as well as Guesthouse Internet packages for the month of March and April.
NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS
Docomo Pacific has announced it will remove data caps and will also offer payment relief "to keep the Marianas connected". For the next 30 days, Docomo Pacific is removing all data caps for anyone with a postpaid mobile plan. During this time, there will be no disconnections for late fees imposed on any customer who may be going through financial difficulties, Docomo Pacific said.
PHILIPPINES
Smart Communications has announced it will provide all-day WIFI connectivity in hospitals and transport hubs. It also offers free access to government websites, to provide the public with correct information amid concerns over the Covid-19 outbreak.
POLAND
Orange Poland has introduced a promotion where both prepaid and postpaid subscribers can get a 10 GB mobile data traffic package for March. Corporate customers of the operator are offered a package of tools for remote working free for three months. The customers are also offered free use of the security service Cyber Watch for protection of mobile devices during this period.
https://www.telecompaper.com/news/orange-poland-promotes-remote-working-tools--1330499
SINGAPORE
StarHub salutes the healthcare professionals who are battling hard at the frontlines to safeguard Singapore. To meet higher voice call demand, StarHub will activate six months of unlimited local talktime free-of-charge for all healthcare professionals on its Corporate Individual Scheme HelloChange two-year mobile plans by 1 April 2020. No action is needed on the customers’ end.
StarHub is also launching ground-up initiatives from its $650,000-worth COVID-19 fund
Funding for the above mentioned activities comes from the newly created StarHub Cares COVID-19 Fund. The Fund, currently standing at over $650,000, comprises contributions from across the company – with StarHub Board of Directors contributing up to 10% of 2019 director fees, the StarHub Senior Leadership Team contributing up to one month of salary, and voluntary contribution from StarHub employees. StarHub is matching all contributions dollar-for-dollar.
The telco is also donating $300,000 to support healthcare workers, patients and community members affected by the pandemic.
In addition, it is assembling 2,000 welfare care packs for lower-income beneficiaries and defraying one month of housing rental for 2,000 lower-income seniors, in partnership with Care Corner Singapore.
SPAIN
MVNO Lemonvil offers free 5GB of bonus data free of charge. Additional measures taken include offering free portability to other plans as well as prolonging a triple promo whereby users subscribing to any of the company's mobile tariffs will have their data tripled until the end of the year.
MVNO Suop has opted to double its extra data bundles and its also giving prepay users an extra 1GB for every top up between EUR 10 and EUR 18, and an extra 3GB for top ups of EUR 20 and over.
MVNO Republica Movil, has followed the majority of the country's operators and announced a free data bundle for customers following the coronavirus outbreak. All customers with an active voice and data plan will be given 10GB of free data this month to facilitate home working and their day to day activities. The bonus data will be automatically added to all plans and be valid for the following 30 days.
https://www.telecompaper.com/news/spains-republica-movil-offers-10gb-bonus-for-coronavirus--1330511
SWITZERLAND
Sunrise: Due to the current situation, Sunrise has decided to offer its mobile customers unlimited high-speed data volume. The offer os is valid immediately, until April 30, 2020.
Customers can also keep their children entertained. From March 27, 2020, all Sunrise customers can have the Hollystar Kids package for free for three months. Sunrise is also offering 6 months of Apple Music for free.
For SMEs, Sunrise will waive the first three months of fees for SMEs (businesses with up to 20 users) when ordering new services (e.g. Work Smart solutions for home office). It will also extend existing SME service payment periods for 3 months as of April.
https://www.sunrise.ch/en/residential/welcome-page/allgemein/covid19.html#u1inline_tabs-pane1
TURKEY
Vodafone Turkey said it will provide a 3GB internet gift to its customers to help them stay online during the coronavirus crisis. By the end of March, Vodafone will add 3 GB to the Ministry's 3 GB support for all corporate and individual customers who want to access the Educational Information Network (EBA) content. Vodafone will thus offer a total of 6 GB of internet for all its corporate and individual customers.
https://www.telecompaper.com/news/vodafone-turkey-to-offer-3gb-internet-gift-to-customers--1330501
UKRAINE
Lifecell has introduced free calls to info-lines of the Ministry of Health Protection due to the coronavirus pandemic. Info-lines of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are also free for subscribers. Customers are able to call to these numbers without paying for roaming services during a stay abroad.
https://www.telecompaper.com/news/lifcell-offers-free-calls-to-health-care-services--1330539
Vodafone Ukraine is offering its customers free mobile data traffic for social networks and messengers due to the coronavirus pandemic. This covers the social networks Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Pinterest, as well as the messengers Viber, Telegram, WhatsApp, Skype and Snapchat.
USA
US MVNO Spectrum says it will provide free internet access to students who currently don't use its service. The company will install broadband and WIFI in new student households free of charge and provide access for 60 days. The offer is available to families with both K-12 and college students. Spectrun will also open its WIFI hotspots to the public
https://www.engadget.com/2020-03-16-spectrum-free-internet-students-coronavirus.html
US MVNO Mint Mobile is giving out free data for the next month amid COVID-19 Until April 14th, you can get free 3GB data packages from Mint Mobile, even if you've never been a customer before.
https://www.engadget.com/2020/03/16/mint-mobile-free-data-coronavirus/
Comcast’s MVNO Xfinity has made its WIFI hotspots free for anyone including non-Xfinity customers. After finding a hotspot, customers should select the “xfinitywifi” network and launch a browser.
https://triblive.com/business/comcast-makes-wi-fi-network-free-expands-unlimited-data-to-all/
Sprint will support residential and small business customers by not terminating service if they are unable to pay their Sprint bill because of the coronavirus, and waiving late fees incurred because of economic circumstances related to the pandemic. Customers with metered data plans will receive unlimited data per month for 60 days at no extra cost. Sprint will also provide customers with an additional 20GB of mobile hotspot data per month for 60 days at no extra cost.
https://newsroom.sprint.com/covid-19-updates-sprint-responds.htm?linkId=84300239
UZBEKISTAN
Mobiuz announce zero rated data traffic when customers visit 7 news sites of Uzbekistan. The news sites are: Uzreport.news, Daryo.uz, Kun.uz, Uznews.uz, Gazeta.uz, Podrobno.uz and Xabar.uz. The operator also opened free access to a number of educational information resources.
https://uzreport.news/technology/mobiuz-otkril-besplatniy-dostup-na-sayt-uzreportnews
Technology, Media, & Telecom (TMT) Executive ? MVNA / MVNE / MVNO Specialist
4 年Initiatives from?Armenia, Belgium, Brazil, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Singapore and Uzbekistan has been added to the list.
Technology, Media, & Telecom (TMT) Executive ? MVNA / MVNE / MVNO Specialist
4 年SWITZERLAND: Sunrise: Due to the current situation, Sunrise has decided to offer its mobile customers unlimited high-speed data volume. The offer os is valid immediately, until April 30, 2020. Customers can also keep their children entertained. From March 27, 2020, all Sunrise customers can have the Hollystar Kids package for free for three months. Sunrise is also offering 6 months of Apple Music for free. For SMEs, Sunrise will waive the first three months of fees for SMEs (businesses with up to 20 users) when ordering new services (e.g. Work Smart solutions for home office). It will also extend existing SME service payment periods for 3 months as of April. https://www.sunrise.ch/en/residential/welcome-page/allgemein/covid19.html#u1inline_tabs-pane1
Technology, Media, & Telecom (TMT) Executive ? MVNA / MVNE / MVNO Specialist
4 年Initiative in Denmark has been added to the list
Technology, Media, & Telecom (TMT) Executive ? MVNA / MVNE / MVNO Specialist
4 年Initiative in Malaysia has been added to the list
Technology, Media, & Telecom (TMT) Executive ? MVNA / MVNE / MVNO Specialist
4 年Initiatives in Germany has been added to the list