GiffGaff to scrap most of its unlimited data bundles
GiffGaff, the network famed for its low-cost unlimited internet "goodybags," could soon face a backlash from some of its customers after quietly announcing it's axing some all-you-can-eat data plans. The O2-owned MVNO has said it will remove unlimited internet options from two of its three most popular pay-monthly tariffs and introduce new data caps instead. The new allowances, which include a 3GB or 5GB limit on GiffGaff's £12 or £15 bundles respectively, will come into force from September 24th, alongside new throttling measures (which include dropping speeds to 300Kbps at peak times) for those who remain on its unlimited tariffs.
The changes will likely affect those subscribing to lower-priced goodybags most, but GiffGaff is trying to limit the impact for the majority of customers. As such, it's allowing existing users of its £15 goodybag to retain their unlimited data if they agree to top-up every two months, and it will also drop the cost of its £20 top-level package (2000 minutes, unlimited texts and unlimited data) to £18 until March 31st 2015. "We do understand that unlimited data is popular but it does create network problems that we are seeking to address with these changes," GiffGaff said in a statement to ISP Review, suggesting it too is finding it harder keep up with the demand for limitless data. Earlier this year, Three put an end to unlimited tethering for new customers in a bid to stop a small number of data-hungry users from ruining speeds for the majority.
