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Broadband deals with free gifts such as shopping vouchers, bill credits or prepaid credit cards are some of the most popular offers on Broadband Genie.
The free extras included with these packages can make already cheap offers even better. Plus, when you take the value of freebies into account, the effective monthly cost of a deal can be very low.
But how do you go about getting hold of your cards and vouchers?
In this guide, we’ll explain how to claim vouchers and other rewards from popular internet service providers. We'll also tell you how to claim the rewards from Broadband Genie’s amazing exclusive deals.
How to claim reward cards: the key points
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It's important to emphasise this is general advice based on current and past offers. It may not apply to every single deal. You should always read the terms before signing up.
For the latest deals, visit our broadband reward deals page or check out our rewards pages for specific providers:
- BT Rewards
- NOW Broadband Rewards
- Plusnet Purecard Rewards
- Shell Energy Broadband e-gift cards
- Sky Gift Cards
- TalkTalk Rewards Pre-Paid Mastercard and Amazon Vouchers
- Virgin Media Broadband Rewards
- Vodafone Gift Cards
Common terms and conditions for claiming broadband rewards
Read the terms and conditions
It’s crucial to read the full terms when signing up for a deal because it can contain important information, such as rules for eligibility and any expiry notes.
Broadband reward deals for new customers
Most broadband deal rewards are reserved for new customers only. You might not be able to claim if you’re already a customer and you’re trying to upgrade, or renew. In some cases, previous users may be eligible if some time has passed since they were last a customer (usually 12 months) but again, read the small print.
This restriction may apply specifically to broadband, so you aren’t necessarily excluded if you’re trying to sign up to a mobile phone deal or TV service from the same company. For example, if you have or had Sky TV, you may still be able to claim a reward when signing up to Sky broadband.
Check your spam folder
Email is the standard contact method for rewards. You may get messages which contain instructions for claiming, or you might be sent a voucher code. If you sign up for a reward, but you don’t see this in your inbox, you should always check your spam folder before chasing this up.
If you find emails from your broadband provider are regularly filtered as spam, you should add them to your safe list to ensure you don’t miss important messages.
How to claim a BT Reward Card
BT frequently offers a “BT Virtual Reward Card” with its broadband packages. This is preloaded with money for you to spend on whatever you like.
BT Reward Cards are available on certain, eligible broadband products. You can check if you have one to claim by logging onto into your 'My BT' account with your BT ID.
To claim your BT Reward Card, you must first activate this at bt.com/manage/bt-reward-card. Here, you’ll need to enter your details, activate your card and set up an online account. Once the card is registered, you can use it straight away.
You’ll have to activate your card within 3 months of receiving your virtual card details, or risk it expiring.
Where to use your BT Virtual Reward Card
Once activated, you can spend a BT Virtual Reward Card it in most places that accept Mastercard.
How to claim Sky Broadband prepaid cards
Sky rewards such as a Sky Mastercard with pre-paid credit, or shopping vouchers, can be claimed online through your Sky account, using your Sky ID.
You must wait for your service to be activated before claiming. Some rewards (such as a Sky Mastercard) require you to wait for after 30 days of your service being activated.
Prepaid Mastercards can take up to 15 days to come through after you’ve claimed.
Where to use your Sky rewards
If you've received a Sky Mastercard, you can use it at any store that accepts Mastercard. Other vouchers may be for specific retailers, such as Tesco, M&S or Amazon gift cards.
How to claim a Plusnet Purecard
Plusnet commonly offers both cashback and reward cards as free gifts.
To claim your freebie, you’ll need to follow the instructions in the email sent by Plusnet (you could add [email protected] into your address book to help avoid this flying into spam). If you still don’t receive this, you can request a re-send by visiting www.purecard.com.
You’ll need to activate your card within 3 months of it being issued.
If you've claimed online, but your card hasn't arrived within 30 days, you can email or phone the Plusnet Reward Card Service team on 0344 879 1069.
Where to use your Plusnet rewards
You can spend your Plusnet Reward Card in most high street stores that display the Mastercard symbol. You won’t be able to use this for cash withdrawal at a cash machine, cashback from a till, for subscription payments, at foreign exchange bureaus, or for gambling.
How to claim Virgin Media broadband rewards
Virgin Media doesn’t offer free gifts as often as other providers, but you can normally get a bill credit as part of your broadband sign up.
There’s no need to claim for these, the amount will be taken off your initial bills, until your credit has been used up.
How to claim TalkTalk rewards
TalkTalk gift cards are supplied through Giftcloud. Regularly, these give you a reward on shops such as Amazon, Sainsbury’s or Tesco as well as pre-paid Mastercards. As well as using online, if the retailer has a physical store, you should have no problem spending this in person.
How to claim Shell Energy broadband reward cards
You can regularly get shopping gift cards when you sign up to Shell Energy broadband. Typically, you can spend these in places such as Amazon, Love2Shop and Just Eat. These gift cards are passed onto customers via Giftcloud. Make sure you add [email protected] to your safe list when you sign up. This should avoid emails getting lost in spam.
You’ll need to be patient for up to 120 days to get an email from Giftcloud with your voucher after signing up to a broadband deal.
How to claim Broadband Genie vouchers when they're exclusive deals
Broadband Genie regularly offers exclusive deals you won’t find anywhere else. Sometimes, these are fulfilled by the providers. Other times, we issue them ourselves. Some of the best exclusives will include multiple rewards issued by both the provider and Broadband Genie.
Claiming an exclusive deal is straightforward, with only two requirements:
- You must sign up online through Broadband Genie.
- If prompted, you must provide a valid email address.
The email address is only used to contact you with updates regarding your reward. You may also be used to deliver your reward in the form of an email containing a voucher code.
It's crucial that we can track your registration with the provider after you click away from Broadband Genie. If we can’t do this, your reward could be delayed, and you risk it expiring.
To make sure this doesn't happen, please note the following:
- Complete the sign-up process in one session. If you stop and come back later, you should start again from our link to ensure it is correctly tracked.
- Temporarily disable web browser extensions (such as ad blockers or privacy filters) which may block the cookies we use to track your purchase. Alternatively, use a different web browser without any extensions installed.
As always, to be eligible for an exclusive reward, you must abide by the terms and conditions of the offer. And as mentioned above, this probably means you have to be a new customer. Read the terms and conditions, and contact us if you have any questions.
Typically, you can expect the reward to be sent within a month, but please allow up to 120 days from the activation of your broadband service for delivery of your reward.
You can check the status of your voucher at any time, using our handy Voucher Tracker.
If you have any concerns about a reward, you can contact us at [email protected]
Where to use your Broadband Genie exclusive rewards
Rewards such as pre-paid credit cards can be spent in any stores which accept that payment method.
Some rewards may be for specific retailers. If you’ve received a voucher code for a retailer which has a high street presence, you can usually redeem the voucher in-store by presenting the code, but contact the retailer to confirm.
Expert Summary
Many broadband providers offer gift cards, rewards and sometimes even gadgets as an incentive for new customers. Switching broadband providers is typically the only way to get hold of these rewards. They often aren’t available if you’re just upgrading or renewing your contract.
Make sure you always read the terms and conditions of your rewards carefully, so you know how to keep a lookout for any vouchers or email confirmation. Often, these rewards cards have explicit expiry dates.
Sometimes you have to be patient for your rewards. If you’re receiving a gift card through Giftcloud, for example, it can take up to 120 days from the day your broadband is activated, to receiving it in your inbox.
For more help on claiming Broadband Genie rewards, you can read our vouchers FAQs page.
Why do we need your address?
We need your address to show you the broadband deals available at your home. This information is gathered in partnership with thinkbroadband.
Read our privacy policy for more details.