Gigaclear partners with Vonage to cut telephony costs

Rural fibre optic broadband provider Gigaclear has teamed up with Vonage to offer its customers lower-cost telephone services that work via the internet.

The Vonage service allows users to keep their existing phone number and handset from which to make UK and international calls, without requiring them to shell out on monthly line rental.

Many of Gigaclear's ultra-fast broadband customers are small business owners operating from their rural home. By signing up with Vonage, they will be able to take advantage of greater flexibility in the way they sell and market themselves, Gigaclear explained.

Matthew Hare, the internet service provider's chief executive, said as many as 50 per cent of its existing customers already use Vonage. "We wanted to make it easier and cheaper for new customers to do so too," he commented.

Vonage UK managing director Simon Burckhardt added that the internet telephony product is a "very cost-effective option" for Gigaclear fibre optic broadband customers.