Vodafone’s home UFB plan may suit your business

Internet service providers generally offer separate products for business and consumer or residential customers. Businesses pay more, but get more in return. Business Internet plans can have extra data, guaranteed service levels or additional services. Frequently there are dedicated specialist support staff more tuned to your needs.

In contrast residential users have to wait in line for support that can be indifferent.

It's no secret that many small businesses choose to save money and opt for a consumer plan. You don't always get a choice, particularly if you operate from the centre of town, a busy main street or a business park. Sometimes ISPs will only supply business accounts to these addresses.

In general, few ISPs care which plan customers choose. When Vodafone launched its residential UFB plans in October, it showed off the service from a Herne Bay villa. The family clearly has fun with its Internet connection, but Vodafone didn't hide the fact that at least one of the parents uses the fibre connection to work from home.

Vodafone's residential UFB planscombine broadband and TV. Prices are largely in line with other UFB service providers and start at around $95 a month for 80GB of data at the slower 30 Mbps download speed. $149 a month buys 250GB of data down a 100 Mbps pipe. Prices include a suitable modem and installation. Some, but not all, Vodafone mobile account customers can get a $30 discount. Adding a home phone line and local calls costs an extra $30 a month.

There’s no additional charge for the Freeview service and the TV comes through a separate service so downloaded programmes don't count against the data allowance. Vodafone's basic Sky package cost an extra $45 a month; movies and sport are extra again. High definition pay-per-view movies are available to all customers at $8 each.

Vodafone's residential UFB service isn't available everywhere. At the moment the broadband service reaches everyone on Chorus' network and in Whangarei. For now the TV service will only reach parts of Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch although Vodafone says more areas will be added soon.