Virgin is offering 20GB of data per month and zero rating remote learning as part of the Department for Education’s Get help with technology programme.

Families relying on mobile phones can access remote learning resources, such as Oak National Academy, without using any of their mobile data.

Virgin Media’s broadband packages already provide connectivity with no data caps.

Vulnerable customers

Virgin Mobile is giving vulnerable customers who are on pay as you go mobile contracts 500 minutes, 500 text messages and 1GB of extra data at no extra cost every month.

Vulnerable customers on pay monthly contracts can receive unlimited minutes and 10GB of additional data every month. Both offers are available until the end of March.

Customers who receive Universal Credit can apply for Virgin Media’s Essential broadband package which costs £15 per month for 15Mbps with no fixed-term contract and no price changes while Universal Credit payments are being received.

Free TV channels

Virgin is also making a variety of pay TV channels and on-demand programming available for customers at no extra cost. The channels include Animal Planet HD, Crime+Investigation HD, Discovery Science, Eurosport 1 and 2 HD and Sky History.

Customers with the Documentaries Personal Pick or Mix bundle can also tune into two additional channels: Sky Documentaries and Sky Nature.

Virgin Media has also extended free access to the Hopster app, which is aimed at pre-schoolers.

Jeff Dodds, Virgin Media chief operating officer, said: “As we have done since the start of this pandemic, we want to support our customers during the difficult months that lie ahead. We know how important it is for people to have the connectivity to get online, as well as to stay entertained while spending more time at home.

“From offering free mobile data to support remote learning to providing a great line-up of pay TV channels at no extra cost, we’re pleased to be playing our part in helping our customers during this challenging time.”

BT and the BBC announced yesterday that EE, BT Mobile, and Plusnet Mobile customers will get unlimited free access to BBC Bitesize educational content by the end of January.