UK broadband customers face steep price rises at contract end
Quote:
Average customer will be hit by a 62 per cent price hike if they haven't renewed or switched.
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Re: UK broadband customers face steep price rises at contract end
Yep, I have gotten burnt by the first month out of contract price hikes. I don't think they should be allowed, you're not out of contract, the contract still applies you're just no longer "locked in".
Re: UK broadband customers face steep price rises at contract end
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Tabbykatze
Yep, I have gotten burnt by the first month out of contract price hikes. I don't think they should be allowed, you're not out of contract, the contract still applies you're just no longer "locked in".
It's a bit mad. Happens with everything though, not just internet.
Re: UK broadband customers face steep price rises at contract end
Its just a petty tactic to either hoodwink free cash from people who don't keep a close eye on their billing, or coerce renewal of a locked in contract. I'd tell my ISP to get lost if they tried that on me.
Re: UK broadband customers face steep price rises at contract end
This is the sort of thing Offcom will put an end too sooner or later, so no doubt the more morally bankrupt among the providers will push the limits until then.
Re: UK broadband customers face steep price rises at contract end
I'm already there, but until GigaClear get around to it we're stuck with BT - £40 hiked to £75 because, "We notice you're using more than before".... on an Unlimited connection that maxes out at 0.7Mbps and with no guaranteed minimum, despite the fact that I'm actually gaming a lot less these days.
I'll be getting the full Gbps connection, because a connection over 1400 times faster is actually cheaper than the BOHICA that BT are forcing upon me!!
Re: UK broadband customers face steep price rises at contract end
Thats why i love Zen.1 month Rolling contract-sorted.
Re: UK broadband customers face steep price rises at contract end
I am with talk talk, every once in a while I phone and say I am going to plusnet and everything works out fine.
Re: UK broadband customers face steep price rises at contract end
For the last few years I've had a calendar event for when my contract ends - I then switch from plusnet/bt to plusnet/bt. I'm then able to take advantage of cashback, cut price deals and occasionally a prepaid visa card. I've probably averaged about £20 max for phone line + 30Mb FTTC broadband the last few years. Unfortunate this is the game you now need to play. Crazy really as BT/plusnet are the same company - must cost them a fortune in new routers!
Re: UK broadband customers face steep price rises at contract end
I had this problem with Sky when I came to the end of my offer period. I ended up paying loads for like 4-5 months because I called them to change late. When I did call them, the offer they gave me was much worse than the previous offer price as well. I really only have sky satellite product for the music channels and the news stuff (and I guess their HD is high bitrate for BBC and similar). I don't watch it much at all (maybe once a week!)
I have also had the above described problem with ISPs but to a much smaller extent (monetarily). There should be a law in place requiring these companies too to advise you 2-4 weeks before your offer comes to and end or before you can cancel before that time (whichever is sooner (?)).
Anecdotally, no offence to Plusnet, for the last few months actually I've been having some trouble with their 21mbps ADSL since subbing earlier this year. The price was brilliant but some videos are refusing to play and I think they are having contention issues. One friday night Youtube videos didn't play at all!
Perhaps BT bought them to use their internal network bandwidth and upstream/interconnection bandwidth and maybe they even changed their peering for the worst. Whatever the case when I come to the end of the contract unfortunately I intend to change to another provider for a fibre FTTC product (which could potentially cost a LOT more).
Perhaps things will improve. Generally it's been an ok service but with ISPs I'm used to everything just working.
We'll see!
Re: UK broadband customers face steep price rises at contract end
Ofcom need to act. This is why I miss being with Virgin as well, it didn't matter if you were still in contract, you could swap to the same deals new customers were eligible for regardless of where you were in your contract.
Pretty annoying to be fair.
Re: UK broadband customers face steep price rises at contract end
It's okay, my friends! Their profits will quickly trickle back down to me and you. Just wait.
Just wait.
Juuuuuuuuuuuust wait.
Any day now.
Re: UK broadband customers face steep price rises at contract end
Quote:
Originally Posted by
smargh
It's okay, my friends! Their profits will quickly trickle back down to me and you. Just wait.
Just wait.
Juuuuuuuuuuuust wait.
Any day now.
https://i.imgur.com/UHiYYzY.jpg
Quote:
Originally Posted by
smargh
Juuuuuuuuuuuust wait.
Any day now.
Re: UK broadband customers face steep price rises at contract end
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Iota
Ofcom need to act.
And do what?
Fine them?
People say the exact same things about our own industry regulator - The most they can fine us is £800,000.
It took the courts to fine us £20,000,000 and even that was maybe a week's worth of gross profit... now imagine you're a company like BT, earning 33 times our profit!!
Regulators are toothless placeholders. Nothing more.
Re: UK broadband customers face steep price rises at contract end
Ah the joys of 'introductory' prices that look really good until you look at the small print... you do look at the small print don't you...
Re: UK broadband customers face steep price rises at contract end
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Iota
Ofcom need to act. This is why I miss being with Virgin as well, it didn't matter if you were still in contract, you could swap to the same deals new customers were eligible for regardless of where you were in your contract.
Pretty annoying to be fair.
Even if OFCOM did act, all it would do is make the 'after offer' price the permanent price with no discount applied to those capable of counting to 12 and then switching.