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Alternative rural internet provider Voneus, which has built a mix of full fibre (FTTP) and wireless (FWA) broadband networks over some of Wales and England’s most remote communities, have chosen Christmas to be the time when they give some Pembrokeshire homes 45 days’ notice of future service “termination” due to a local network “redesign“.
ISPreview hasn’t yet received enough feedback to assess exactly how many premises or customers are likely to be impacted by this, but it appears to be focused on a small number of customers in a remote area between Mathry and Castle Morris (SA62 5ES).
Customers in this area received a somewhat unwelcome pre-Christmas message from Voneus at the very end of last week, which informed them that the provider was busy “redesigning our network and the delivery of our services” and that, as a result of this, they would “no longer be able to provide you with the current [wireless] broadband service“.
Homes impacted by this have at least been given 45 days’ notice about the “termination” of their broadband service, although we should add that anybody who takes a VoIP based “digital landline” phone service from Voneus will also lose access to that on the same date.
Customer Email from Voneus
Dear XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX
We are writing to inform you that we are redesigning our network and the delivery of our services. As a result, Voneus will no longer be able to provide you with the current FWA broadband service.
Therefore regrettably, this notice provides you with 45 days’ notice of termination of your broadband service which will terminate on 2 February 2026.
If you have been paying for your broadband service, we want to assure you that all future billing from the date the broadband service terminates will also terminate. Advanced charges, where applicable, will be refunded automatically. There will be no further charges for your broadband service from us beyond the broadband service termination date.
If you currently have a VOIP digital landline service with us, please be aware that this service will also cease on the broadband termination date. We will retain your phone number for up to 45 days from the termination date. If you wish to keep your number, you must request your new provider to port this number within the 45-day window.
You do not need to cancel your contract, as we will cancel your contract at XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX, SA62 5ES effective on the termination date.
We’re truly sorry for any inconvenience this may cause. If you have any questions or require further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact our customer support team directly at 0333 880 4141 (option 2) or via email at helpdesk@voneus.com.
Best wishes,
Voneus
Sadly, it’s not the first time that Voneus has caused frustration for some of the rural communities they serve in remote parts of Wales (here and here), although sending this latest message out immediately before Christmas week is perhaps not the best example of good timing. But a quick check suggests that at least some of this area is now covered by Openreach’s fibre (FTTP) network.
The move comes shortly after Voneus announced that they had strengthened their position for “long-term growth” with a business reorganisation and secured funding through to 2030 (here). But that same announcement also warned of how they’d be undertaking a “business reorganisation to ensure operational efficiency and future scalability,” which is expected to result in further job cuts and “outsourcing of some business functions” as the ISP looks to cut its costs.
ISPreview contacted Voneus for a comment about this yesterday afternoon and we await their response.