The April broadband increases are expected to add an average of £21.99 annually for those on inflation-linked contracts and up to £42 a year for those on newer ‘pounds and pence’ plans that are subject to fixed price rises set by the provider at the start of their contract.
And price rises will add an average of £15.90 a year to the bills of mobile customers on inflation-linked contracts or up to £48 for those who took out a contract more recently with Ofcom’s new ‘pounds and pence’ rules applied.
However, experts at Uswitch.com have said its not too late to avoid the price rises if you act now.
How to beat broadband and mobile price rises
More than nine million Brits are out of contract on their broadband package and 33 million on their mobile plan. These customers are free to switch providers now and avoid unnecessary price hikes.
While customers can leave their contract at any time, those still locked in will likely need to pay a penalty for leaving early, which varies from provider to provider.
Sky broadband customers are an exception and are currently being offered a 30-day window during which they can terminate their contract without being hit with an exit fee.
For customers looking for a new broadband deal, Vodafone, Virgin Media, and Community Fibre are some of the providers freezing prices until 2026 for those who switch before the April increases.
Several broadband and mobile providers commit to no price rises at all throughout the contract duration. For broadband, smaller regional providers such as Trooli, YouFibre and Hyperoptic don’t increase prices mid-contract.
For those looking to save on their mobile phones, customers with providers such as VOXI, Lebara, and SMARTY can rest assured that these providers are committed to not increasing their prices mid-contract.
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Sabrina Hoque, telecoms expert at Uswitch.com, comments: “For the millions of mobile and broadband customers currently out of contract, now is the time to act before the April price increases kick in.
“If you don’t know when your contract ends, you can usually find this information on your bill. It only takes a minute or two to check, and it could end up saving you a significant amount in the long run. Our data shows that switching to a new broadband deal after your initial contract has ended could save you £181 a year.
“The launch of One Touch Switch means it’s never been easier for broadband customers to vote with their feet and switch providers – smaller, regional broadband providers like Hyperoptic and Trooli don’t raise their prices mid-contract.
“Mobile customers can also text ‘INFO’ to 85075 to find out if they are still in contract and any exit fees associated with leaving early. If you can switch, several SIM-only providers such as VOXI and SMARTY commit to no price rises for the duration of the contract.
“Don’t get caught out by price rises that you might be able to avoid; check your contract today and see if you could escape the mobile and broadband bill sting this spring.”
