VIRGIN Media is giving away a free 4K TV in its latest broadband deal to entice households to make the switch.

Alternatively, people can opt for a £250 bill credit if they wish.

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The TV on offer is a 43-inch LG Smart UHD screen – the exact model number is LG LED UR78 43 – worth £379.99.

Virgin Media is running the promotion for a limited time for new customers who purchase some of the company’s latest packages for 18 months.

This includes the Larger Combo Bundle + Movies, Larger Combo Bundle + Sports, Largest Combo Bundle (including Volt variants) or the Mega Volt Bundle online, from £65 per month.

The company is also hesitant about the start-up costs, which are typically £35.

But the benefits are only available until the end of the week (March 17).

If you cancel your services before they are installed or before the end of the 14 day cancellation period, you will not receive any free TV or bill credits.

Here’s an overview of the packages eligible for the offer:

Larger combo bundle + Sports HD – £65 per month

• M250 fiber optic broadband (264 Mbps)
• Sky Sports HD
• 195+ TV channels
• Weekend chat
• Buy now

Larger combo bundle + movies – £68 per month

• M250 fiber optic broadband (264 Mbps)
• Sky Cinema HD
• 200+ TV channels
• Weekend chat
• Buy now

Largest combo bundle – £79 per month

• M125 fiber optic broadband (132 Mbps)
• Air sports
• Sky Cinema HD
• 210+ TV channels
• Weekend chat
• Netflix standard
• Buy now

Mega Volt Bundle – £85 per month

• M500 fiber optic broadband (516 Mbps)
• 230+ channels
• Sky Sports HD
• Sky Cinema HD
• Netflix standard
• Always a chat
• Unlimited O2 SIM card
• Buy now

Remember that from April 2025 onwards, the monthly prices shown will increase each April by the inflation index announced each February, plus 3.9%.

All prices in this article were correct at the time of writing, but may have changed since then.

Always do your own research before making a purchase.

MARTIN Lewis has warned that major telephone networks will increase prices by up to 8 percent for millions of people.

BT, EE, O2, Sky, Three, Virgin Media and Vodafone have all confirmed increases for this spring.

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These are in addition to increases to 17.3 percent last year.

Someone on a standard two-year contract paying £20 per month in early 2023 could soon be paying more than £25 per month.

The Money Saving Expert previously called for mid-contract increases above inflation to be banned.

Speaking on Martin Lewis Money Show Live, he said: “What’s strange here is that while the price you pay if you hold goes up, if you switch to a SIM only deal, prices plummet.

“Step 1 is to text INFO for free to 85075 to check if you are free to leave.

“Step 2 is to use a cheap SIM match and step 3, to keep your number, is text PAC to 65075 and give the code to your new company.”

It comes after Which? warned that broadband customers could pay £150 more than expected due to “unpredictable” mid-contract price increases in 2024.

The consumer group analyzed increases from top providers on their 18- and 24-month deals.

BT and EE customers who signed a contract in January 2023 could see some of the highest average price increases of £147.43 and £147.31.

Vodafone and Plusnet customers could see an increase of £122.38 and £117.87 respectively.

TalkTalk customers could see a smaller increase of £76.09 on average over the course of shorter 18-month contracts.

Virgin Media did not use inflation-related price increases in 2023, but some customers’ prices did rise by an average of 13.8 percent due to ad hoc price increases, according to Which?.

Which? argues that it is unfair for consumers to sign up for deals that give them no certainty about how much they can expect to pay over the course of their contract, and then have to pay exit fees if they want to leave early.

How can I reduce my mobile bill?

If you think your bills are too high and want to reduce them, the first thing you need to do is find out what the cheapest deal on the market is.

You can use this rate as a negotiating tool to get a better offer from your provider or as inspiration to switch providers.

Sites like MoneySuperMarket and Uswitch all help you customize your search based on price, speed and provider.

Make a cheaper deal

If you have found a cheaper rate with another provider, contact your provider to see if they can match the price.

If negotiation fails, you can threaten to leave.

Your provider may then be more inclined to keep you by offering you a better deal.

Trying to negotiate always makes it easier to decide whether to renew your contract or move to another provider.

Switch providers

If you’re unhappy with the new costs and every attempt at negotiation hasn’t gone your way, switching to another provider could be the best way to save money on your telecom bills.

But if you want to switch, make sure you know whether your contract is still running or not.

If you are halfway through your contract and want to leave, please note that you may be charged an exit fee. So contact your provider for any costs.

Mobile phone users are stuck between “exorbitant” mid-contract price increases or high exit fees, according to Which?.

It showed that an EE customer would have to pay an exit fee of £424.67 if they left a year early, and that Three’s customer would have to pay £379.46 to end their contract.

Furthermore, using the example of an EE customer who signed a 36-month contract for an iPhone Pro Max with unlimited data: Which one? estimates that the customer would pay an extra £105 for the handset over the next year due to the price increases.

Three customers will face the lowest sign-up fee of £169.59 if they end their contract a year early.

It’s always worth asking your provider if they can offer you something cheaper, so feel free to call them even if you have a contract.

If not, make a note of the date your contract ends and note other deals you can switch to.

Check whether you can get a social rate

If your household has a low income, it is also worth investigating social rates.

These broadband packages and discounts have been created for people who receive certain benefits.

They are often available to people on income support, Universal Credit or disability benefits.

About 4.2 million households qualify for these cheaper rates, but only 55,000 take advantage of them.

Voxi and SMARTY both offer these cheaper mobile phone contracts and prices start at £10 per month.

Do you have a money problem that needs to be solved? Get in touch by emailing money@the-sun.co.uk.

Moreover, you can join us Sun Money chats and tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories.

MILLIONS of broadband and TV customers can save and reduce their bills by simply asking for a discount.

Most households are generally aware that switching to another provider can be the best way to reduce costs.

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But this usually only has benefits when your current broadband and TV contract expires.

More than 4.2 million broadband customers are currently out of contract and Uswitch is advising these customers to take action before their bills increase in April.

Switching mid-contract often means paying a hefty exit fee, which could be worth as much as £100.

So it’s usually best to wait until your current deal expires before switching to a new one.

But if you can’t wait until your contract expires or you don’t want to leave your current company, haggling on price is also a great solution.

A Sky broadband and TV customer has told how a simple adjustment to her TV package helped her cut her annual bills by £72.

Posting on the Facebook group Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK, Melisa Bailey said: “I recently redid my sky package when our contract ended, downgraded my broadband when the deal ended, and my apps now connect faster.

“But I also took the £4 Netflix offer, including ads.

“This is a £6 difference from the previous package I had.

“The adverts appear very rarely, and I’m glad I can save the £72 a year as it’s a week’s worth of free groceries!”

By quitting and switching to a service that isn’t necessarily needed, Melisa has managed to lower her bill with a simple phone call.

Alex Tofts, broadband expert at Broadband Genie, says: “The starting point for saving money is to look at what you pay for and what you actually need.

“Most people shouldn’t pay for multiple streaming services at the same time, as it’s unlikely you’ll need them all at once.

“You can save big by subscribing one by one and binge-watching a series or the films on offer and then canceling once you’ve had enough.

“While ads aren’t for everyone, ad-supported subscriptions from the likes of Netflix and Disney+ can significantly reduce your monthly expenses.”

Disney+ customers can switch from the regular ‘Standard’ package of £7.99 per month to the ‘Standard with Ads’ package for £1.99 per month for the first three months, and then up to £4.99 per month month after the discount period.

The same goes for Netflix ‘standard’ customers, who can choose to pay £10.99 per month without add-ons or £4.99 per month for an add-supporter service.

Alex added: “On average, most platforms only show around four minutes of ads per hour, so you might not find them too disruptive.”

If you want to save on other parts of your bill and stick with your current telecom provider, we’ve provided some negotiating tips for you to follow below.

How do I negotiate with my provider?

If you want to stay with your current provider – or if early termination penalties mean it’s not worth switching – haggling down your bill is easy and shouldn’t affect your current contract.

Call the telecom company and tell them you are not happy with the price.

You can say that you found a better price elsewhere or that as a loyal customer you want to know if you can get a better deal.

The worst they can say is no, and you’re no worse off. You then know it’s time to shop around for a cheaper deal.

The first thing you need to do is find out what the cheapest deal is on the market.

You can use this rate as a negotiating tool to get a better offer from your provider.

To do this, visit comparison sites such as Uswitch or Comparethemarket and find the best deals on the market.

Contact your provider to see if they can offer better rates. If not, you might want to switch.

About 11 million broadband and 36 million mobile customers will face an inflation-related price increase in April.

The average telecoms customer will see their broadband prices increase by £27.19 per year and their mobile bills by £24.23 per year.

But the exact amount your bills will increase depends on your supplier and the current contracted bill amount.

We’ve got all the tips and tricks you need to follow to beat the price hike.

A MONEY-saving expert has warned Brits they may be drastically overpaying for broadband.

Financial guru Martin Lewis has shared a new deal that could save consumers a fortune, but you need to act quickly.

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The expert took to social media to share his latest tip on saving money across the country.

In a post on X he wrote: “LAST CHANCE. You can get 145Mb Sky broadband for ‘£24.40 per month’.

“Most households pay double for their broadband – are you one of them?

“This deal could save you a package but ends tomorrow (Thursday, March 7) at 11:59 PM.”

The Sky broadband deal is an 18-month contract, with fast 145MB fiber broadband.

It offers cheap mobile and international calls, fast upload and download times, and even has a rewards program.

Those who choose this broadband option will receive a £65 prepaid Mastercard, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, M&S or John Lewis voucher – your choice.

The plan costs £28 per month, but if you include the prepaid voucher this actually equates to £24.39 per month.

This deal is for new broadband customers only.

On Lewis’s site, money savingexpert.com, he offers a free check and compare feature, which allows you to compare prices and see where you can save.

Last year, Lewis issued an urgent warning about possible broadband increases and offered tips on how to avoid them.

At the time he said: ‘Remember that we will have December inflation figures for the rest of this week, probably from tomorrow.

“Normally, broadband costs increase – and they do so above inflation.”

“I expect to see a 15% increase in broadband announced this week across many major providers.”

Shortly afterwards, The Sun revealed that BT, EE and Three would increase their rates by up to 14.4% in April.

Now experts are warning that broadband rates will skyrocket again from April.

Most providers are suspected of increasing their prices by 7.9 percent, while Virgin Media is increasing their prices by 8.8 percent.

Ofcom said mobile and broadband customers were hit with interim contract increases, which they found difficult to understand.

Providers are encouraged to explicitly state the exact amount in pounds and pence.

The Sun has set out how much prices will rise at eleven different providers in the spring.

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VIRGIN Media has urged customers to check their antivirus app as it could be slowing down their Wi-Fi behind the scenes.

In a recent blog post, the network provider said it wants “your broadband to work as hard as you do – on the clock And when you’re not on duty, because we know that relaxation mode is just as important as work mode.”

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Antivirus applications are essential for every laptop and PC.

They prevent users from becoming victims of malware.

Any device connected to your broadband reduces available bandwidth, so turn off anything that isn’t in use so there is enough capacity for the video.

Virgin media

“Most people are concerned about their download speed, but slow upload speed can wreak havoc on your video calls, live streaming and gaming,” the company wrote.

“Using your antivirus program, check for malware or viruses that could affect your device’s performance or potentially slow down your broadband speed.”

If your antivirus app has caught malware in its net, tackling it will likely require more bandwidth than usual.

If your antivirus program performs regular background checks, you may want to schedule this for times when you won’t be using your Wi-Fi as often for other activities, such as at night.

Virgin Media explains: “Any device connected to your broadband reduces available bandwidth, so switch off anything not in use to ensure there is enough capacity for the video.

“Close or pause any apps or services running in the background. This is especially relevant if you’re streaming on a computer.”

Important note: Do not completely disable your antivirus program as this will keep your laptop or PC safe while browsing the Internet.

What you can do is temporarily disable it to see if it is the culprit behind your slow WiFi.

If this is the case, try a different antivirus provider.

There are plenty of antivirus providers, many of which offer free trials.

HOUSEHOLDS fed up with slow broadband may finally have a cheaper alternative in sight.

Billionaire Elon Musk, 52, has been beaming internet via satellite to homes with his Starlink service for a few years.

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It’s the same crucial technology that was rushed to Ukraine as the country fought to stay connected during the ongoing war against Russia.

The only problem is that the satellite-based alternative is very expensive compared to traditional broadband providers.

This would be a huge help to remote rural homes with lower incomes

User on X/Twitter

Currently, you have to pay £75/$120 USD per month for the Standard plan.

But it looks like Starlink is exploring a cheaper package.

According to New Zealand, a new ‘Deprioritized’ service plan has emerged ISPreview.

This reportedly only costs $79 NZD per month, which is just over £38 / $45 USD.

But as the name suggests, it comes with some limitations.

Firstly, it is only available at a valid location in New Zealand and must be a permanent location on land (i.e. no traveling around with it in the car).

Users get an unlimited amount of standard data every month with no long-term contracts or obligations.

However, during peak hours this will take priority over the standard service.

“This means that speeds for Deprioritized Service may be slower than Standard Service when our network has the most users online,” the company explains.

This should mean speeds range from 50 – 100 Mbps, compared to 150 – 250 Mbps with Standard, which is still faster than some people are currently receiving in rural areas.

Households frustrated with their existing broadband internet are keen to know if the service will be rolled out to other countries.

“Any chance of @Starlink expanding the new low-cost Deprioritized Service Plan, which currently only exists in New Zealand, to the UK?” wrote a user on X, formerly known as Twitter.

“This would be a huge help for remote, lower-income rural homes.”

Another wrote: “It would be great if this came to the US!”

There are other broadband alternatives on the market, such as 5G home broadband – read The Sun’s review of Vodafone’s service.

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EE has unveiled the first look at a brand new home broadband with a powerful Wi-Fi upgrade that will soon speed up your devices.

The internet provider has promised that its customers will be among the first in the world to experience this next one generation technology.

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Although the launch date has not yet been confirmed, the company has promised to deliver the latest broadband for home use this year.

Emphatic has reported that the new router will have a sleek white and gray design, made from 95 percent recycled plastic.

The device looks small (just 10 inches), but its powerful capabilities ensure the fastest connectivity and even additional services managed through the EE app.

EE’s most advanced router yet – the EE Smart Hub Plus – uses Wi-Fi 6 as standard, with most internet providers offering Wi-Fi 5 or Wi-Fi 6.

But as demand for connectivity increases, the company wants to expand its capabilities to offer faster internet.

It is predicted that every household will double the number of Wi-Fi connected devices in the next five years.

In a press statement, EE CEO Marc Allera said: “EE broadband customers worldwide will be among the first to benefit from access to a certified next-gen Wi-Fi 7 home hub, giving them the very latest innovation in connectivity. ”

British homes will soon be able to stream 8K videos, use cloud gaming, make video calls or even immerse themselves in VR headsets without compromising the speed of WiFi.

In fact, all these activities could even be done at the same time in the house without interfering with each other.

So if you’re watching Netflix in 4K while your kid downloads massive PS5 games, you no longer have to worry about the screen freezing.

Wi-Fi 7 promises to be up to four times faster than its predecessor.

It also supports channels up to 320MHz wide, compared to 160MHz on Wi-Fi 6E.

To put it in perspective, the more lanes there are on a highway, the more traffic the highway can handle.

EE has previously boosted broadband for customers with full fiber internet at 1.6Gbps, which the company says is the fastest ‘reliable’ speeds of any major provider in the UK.

In addition to new speeds, new and existing customers can also switch to special Gaming and Work from Home broadband packages.

These packages also include a new Wi-Fi enhancement button, to increase connection speeds locally as and when needed.

The Wi-Fi booster is a switch that appears below your broadband package in the EE app.

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