Exact dates Eleven mobile and broadband companies will increase their bills by up to £50

MILLIONS of broadband, mobile and TV customers will be hit by huge bill increases within weeks.

This is because telecom providers usually increase the prices of their contracts in the spring.

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Providers typically increase their prices annually based on the inflation rate plus up to 3.9% more.

The December CPI figure (4%) or the January RPI figure (4.9%) are used by many mobile and broadband companies to increase prices.

The increases will take effect from March 31 to April 1 for millions of customers.

This means that the new rate will take effect from your next invoice after that date.

The increase will impact customers even if they have signed a fixed price contract.

This is because many companies have included price increases halfway through the contract in their general terms and conditions.

Exactly how much more you have to pay depends on how much your bill is now.

Under new proposals from Ofcom, providers could in future be banned from linking price rises to runaway inflation rates.

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

Instead, providers are encouraged to explicitly state the exact amount in pounds and pence.

Below we announce how much prices will increase in the spring at 11 different providers.

BT

BT, which has around 30 million customers, has confirmed it will increase its prices for most of BT's broadband, fixed, mobile and TV users.

These customers will see an increase of 7.9%, consisting of the December CPI figure plus 3.9%.

This will take place from March 31.

BT said: “Most of our customers can expect an increase of a few pounds per month, around the price of a takeaway coffee per month.”

From the summer, BT said it will abandon mid-contract price increases linked to inflation, and will instead increase prices in pounds and pence.

Marc Allera, head of BT Consumer, said mobile customers will see mid-contract price increases “of £1.50”, while broadband customers will face increases of “£3”.

EE

EE, owned by the BT group, will also increase prices for most of its 25 million customers.

Every year it adjusts the prices of its products and services in accordance with the CPI plus 3.9%.

Most BT broadband, landline and mobile users will be affected.

It means that prices will increase by 7.9% from March 31.

Plusnet

Every year Plusnet adjusts the prices of its products and services in line with the December CPI figure plus 3.9%.

It means that broadband and landline customers who are not within the minimum term of a 'fixed price contract' will see their bills increase by 7.9%.

But those within the minimum term of a fixed price contract will only see their call costs increase by 7.9%.

Shell

Shell will adjust the prices of its products and services in line with the December CPI figure plus 2%.

It means that broadband and landline customers who signed up before January 22, 2024 will see their bills increase by 6%.

Broadband and fixedline users who signed up on or from January 22, 2024, or users within the 12-month minimum term of a broadband or phone tariff, will not see their prices increase.

Sky Mobile

The majority of Sky Mobile's telephone rates have already increased.

On February 14, bills for the average Sky mobile customer without a contract rose by 3%.

But from April 1, broadband and TV users, including Sky Stream and Sky Glass users, will see their bills rise by an average of 6.7%.

Home phone users will also see their call costs per minute increase by 8%, from 25p to 27p per minute.

Small talk

TalkTalk customers will also pay more from April 1 this year.

Broadband and fixed line users will pay a total of 7.7% extra.

This uses the December CPI figure and an additional 3.7%.

Fixed Price Plus customers outside the minimum contract period pay 4% more as this is based on the December inflation rate only.

Three

Most of Three's broadband and mobile users will be affected by price increases.

The company will increase costs by 7.9% from April 1.

A spokesperson for Three UK said: “This year our contract customers whose bills will increase will see an average price increase of less than £1.50 per month.

'The increases reflect the inflationary pressures we face as a business, including energy prices, supplier increases and higher staff costs.

“Despite this change, our prices remain some of the most competitive in the market and we have a range of support, including a social tariff through SMARTY, available for customers struggling with their finances.”

Virgin media 02

Virgin Media O2 also confirmed that prices will increase from April 1.

Most pay-monthly and SIM-only users with mobile phones or other gadgets are likely to be affected.

The company uses January's inflation index plus 3.9% to determine mid-contract price increases.

And with January's consumer price index at 4.9%, that means millions will see their bills rise by 8.8%.

Virgin customers will see their bills increase by an average of £4.16 per month, or £49.92 per year.

For example, a Big Bundle customer currently paying £31.99 per month will see their new bill rise to £34.81 – an increase of £2.82 per month, or less than 10p per day.

Meanwhile, O2 customers will see their bills increase, but the price increase will only apply to the airtime portion of your bill.

You pay this for minutes, text messages and data.

The increase will not be applied to device subscriptions (what you pay for your device).

O2 said this means the average price increase will be 5%.

But customers whose plans started before March 25, 2021 will see prices increase due to the RPI alone.

If you are on a social broadband and mobile tariff, you will not see an increase in your bills as Virgin Media O2 has frozen these rates.

Vodafone

From April 1, Vodafone will also increase prices by 7.9% for half of its customers.

It says this equates to a few extra pounds per month.

But the company, which has more than 18 million customers, says it will continue to consult with Ofcom on changes to how interim contract increases are set.

A spokesperson said: “We fully support providing clarity and choice to customers, and we will continue to work with Ofcom as they finalize their plans.”

How much will my bill increase by?

Your internet provider or mobile network should contact you to let you know how much your bills will increase in the coming weeks.

If you're a BT, EE, TalkTalk, Vodafone or Three customer, there's an easy way to determine how much more you'll pay in the spring.

For example, if you want to know what 7.9% of your current monthly bill is, you can use an online percentage calculator.

Then add that to your current bill. This is how you will receive your new monthly payment.

To determine your annual costs, multiply that total amount by 12.

How can I save on my telecom costs?

The easiest way to save more of your hard-earned money is to switch suppliers when your contract expires.

If you have exceeded the minimum term of your contract, you do not have to pay cancellation fees. You may be able to find a cheaper deal elsewhere.

You may be charged exit fees if the contract period is still running.

But don't just switch contracts because the price is lower than you pay now.

Check how much speed you need for broadband, how many minutes and texts you need and how much data you use on your mobile to find out which plan suits you best.

Use comparison websites such as MoneySupermarket and Uswitch to compare the best rates and phone prices.

If you're happy with your provider, it might be worth using your research to negotiate a better deal as well.

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.

Contact your provider to see if they can match this rate. If not, you might want to switch.

For more ways to reduce your phone bill, we have eight tips to reduce costs.

In the meantime, here's the full list of household bills set to rise by up to £370 in 2024 – and how you can avoid paying more.

In addition, millions of people will experience tax changes in 2024 that will affect both their income and savings.