New Stay Connected Cap Plan for customers with financial hardship
Vodafone has launched a temporary $10 SIM Only plan for its existing customers who might be experiencing financial difficulties as a result of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The “Stay Connected Cap Plan” will be available starting 20 April, and follows a series of other offers the telco has launched in response to COVID-19.
Just last month, Vodafone was the first to announce bonus data for customers as they stay home to slow down the spread of the virus. Shortly after, Optus and Telstra followed suit with bonus data offers of their own.
With the coronavirus outbreak having some wide ranging effects on Australians, telcos are trying to do their part in alleviating the resulting hardships. Vodafone’s $10 Stay Connected Cap plan is another great example of that.
More about Vodafone’s $10 Stay Connected Cap Plan
Vodafone’s Stay Connected Cap Plan is for existing postpaid mobile customers, as well as business customers on the Red or Red Plus plan. To qualify, you’ll need to be experiencing some financial difficulties.
The whole idea is that, if you’re experiencing financial hardship right now, then you might not be able to afford your current postpaid plan. Thus, Vodafone will allow you switch to this $10 SIM Only month-to-month plan to stay connected, and then switch you back to your original plan 3 months later, when you’d probably be back on your feet.
Vodafone hasn’t specified exactly what qualifies as financial difficulties yet, but Chief Executive Officer Iñaki Borroeta expressed Vodafone’s understanding that “this is a very stressful time for many of our customers who have lost employment or income as a result of COVID-19”. This may indicate that any negative changes to your income might qualify as financial hardship to qualify for the plan.
What does Vodafone’s $10 Stay Connected Cap Plan include and how do I get it?
Here’s a look at what you get if you switch to the $10 Stay Connected Cap Plan:
- 3GB of data;
- Unlimited standard national voice;
- Unlimited standard national SMS;
- Month-to-month plan lasting 3 months.
To sign up for the Stay Connected Cap Plan, you’ll need to:
- Be an existing Vodafone mobile customer or business customer on the Red or Red Plus plan;
- Apply on Vodafone’s website starting from 20 April until 20 May (unless Vodafone extends);
- Show proof of financial hardship.
Here’s a couple of things to note about the plan:
- After 3 months, you’ll be switched back to your current plan.
- If you purchased a device from Vodafone on a payment plan (phone, tablet, etc.), those payments are not affected – you’ll be billed for them as normal.
Final words – Other Vodafone offers in response to the COVID-19 pandemic
The Stay Connected Cap Plan is just one of the many recent offers Vodafone has come up with to alleviate customers’ hardships resulting from the ongoing coronavirus outbreak. Here’s a look at some other recent Vodafone initiatives:
- Registered health practitioners will get a two-month credit on their postpaid bill or prepaid recharge.
- Overage data reduced to $1/GB (used to be $10/GB) for postpaid mobile customers from 31 March 2020 to 5 May 2020
- If you’ve been an active prepaid customers in the last 30 days, you can claim a one-off 10GB data bonus via opt-in SMS from 31 March (must be claimed by 30 April)
- Prepaid customers get 3GB bonus data on their next recharge before 30 April
- Postpaid customers who aren’t on endless data plans get a one-off 5GB bonus data.
Vodafone has even more offers out there, such as unlimited standard national calls for all their customers throughout the month of April, and a pledge to not collect any late fees or pursue overdue accounts in April. These initiatives are certainly welcome as Australians brace for tough times that will require some money saving ideas.