UK Broadband unveils Relish 4G web service to remove landline 'tax'

 

London firms could benefit from a new internet service from UK Broadband running over 4G spectrum that it claims will deliver fibre-level broadband speeds while removing the need for an expensive and unnecessary landline connection.
Launched at an event in London on Wednesday, UK Broadband unveiled a new brand to sell the offering, called Relish, and said it is available in central London from today.
The launch follows on some two years after the firm first announced plans to roll out the service back in February 2012 and ran a trial of the technology in Southwark, seen in action by V3, in summer 2012.
UK Broadband is offering the service in four types - home broadband, business broadband, mobile broadband and dedicated business internet for firms that use a lot of data. This will will be more expensive than the basic business offering but will offer faster speeds.
Slamming rival mobile operators, which the firm claims are letting customers down with high prices and inability to meet demands, UK Broadband claims Relish will offer transparent pricing, truly unlimited data, no long contracts and fibre-optic speeds, with the service offering average speeds of 30Mbps. UK Broadband's dedicated business internet will offer bandwidth of up to 1Gbps.
These speeds are provided by UK Broadband's own spectrum, while its mobile offering will piggyback on the Three network.
UK Broadband CEO Nicholas James said, "Relish has been designed to help busy Londoners get online quickly with fibre-fast speeds."
James boasted that if you order Relish today, it will be delivered the next day - and will take mere minutes to set up. He added, "Call us today, we'll deliver it to you tomorrow, and we're online. No waiting in for an installation, no long-term contracts and no being forced to take a telephone line for a broadband service."
The launch of Relish comes as UK Broadband looks to curb the "unnecessary" landline tax, with rival operators forcing both consumers and businesses to lease phone lines that they likely won't use.
UK Broadband also said that as its service does not require a landline if you move  during your contract you can take your internet with you without any hassle, unless you are moving outside of London of course.
Speaking at the launch event, Colm Sheehy, senior economist at the Centre for Economics and Business Research, said removing the landline cost could save London firms and home owners millions.
"We have found that, in total, landline tax costs Londoners £193m per year, which is an unnecessary cost. People rarely use their home phone, and [small and medium enterprises] said they can operate effectively without it," he said.
Prices for Relish start at £20 for its home broadband offering, and £10 for its mobile service, although if you sign up for both you will get a £5 discount. There will be charges for the accompanying hardware, but UK Broadband notes this will be free if you sign up for a more expensive contract.
Relish is available only in London at present, but UK Broadband said it is looking to expand its network in the future.