UK strikes deal with data firms to help lockdown kids

The U.K. government struck a data deal with mobile phone providers so disadvantaged kids can access school resources during a new national lockdown.

Following pressure from the opposition and an independent watchdog to get data firms to help, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a tie-up had been agreed with leading mobile firms to provide free access to learning sites.

“We have partnered with some of the U.K.’s leading mobile operators to provide free mobile data to disadvantaged families to support access to education resources,” he told the House of Commons. “And I am very grateful to EE, Three, Tesco Mobile, Smarty, Sky Mobile, Virgin Mobile and Vodafone for supporting this offer.”

He made the comments after MPs were recalled to parliament from their extended Christmas break to debate and vote on a new national lockdown in England that came into effect on Wednesday morning. 

Schools have been closed as part of the lockdown, which could last for three months, sparking fears about children from lower-income households being unable learning resources online without running up huge bills. 

Children’s Commissioner for England Anne Longfield had called on broadband firms to “step up,” while opposition Labour Party leader Keir Starmer had also urged tech companies to help.

The opposition party said educational websites should be “zero-rated” by internet service providers and exempted from mobile data charges to avoid “pricing disadvantaged families out of education.”

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