Last chance to BEAT broadband price hikes: You can still avoid rises of up to £48 a year - but you'll need to act fast

By SAM BROMLEY, MONEY & CONSUMER GUIDES WRITER

Updated:

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Millions of broadband users face higher bills on 1 April, but there's still time to avoid price hikes if you're out of contract.

Major broadband providers have committed to freezing prices until April 2027, so you can skip this year's rise if you switch to one of these tariffs now. These include the likes of BT, Plusnet, TalkTalk, Virgin Media and Vodafone.

You must act quickly though. With broadband providers applying price hikes of up to £4 monthly – or £48 annually – either on 31 March or 1 April, you haven't got much time to avoid a hit.

It's even a good time to switch if you're locked in a contract, because some providers are covering early termination fees by taking money off your bill.

You could save money on your broadband bill by switching provider

You could save money on your broadband bill by switching provider

Alex Tofts, broadband expert at comparison website, Broadband Genie, said: 'Switching your broadband now leaves the longest period before your provider can raise your price.

'Currently, we're seeing record low prices, which makes March one of the best times to switch your broadband deal.'

> Compare broadband deals with our partner Broadband Choices*

What deals can you get on your broadband?

The best way to see which offers are available is to compare broadband deals by entering your postcode. You can do this with our partner, the comparison website Broadband Choices*.

Providers such as BT, Plusnet, Vodafone and Sky operate on the Openreach network, which has good availability across the country.

Here are some current offers from major providers, at speeds that should be fast enough for most households. 

Note these are fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) packages, which not all households will be able to get.

What is FTTP? 

Fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) means your home is directly connected to the internet. Your entire connection is through fibre-optic cables, resulting in the availability of faster speeds.

Fibre-to-the-cabinet (FTTC) connections, on the other hand, still run partly on existing copper telephone wires, capping available speeds.

Smaller providers usually operate in specific regions. 

They run different networks to Openreach, giving them the 'altnet' moniker – and they often provide faster speeds for less money, according to Alex Tofts of Broadband Genie.

The example deals below are also FTTP packages. 

Tofts told us that 'those who want total certainty' over their bills can look to these altnets, because some offer price promises that mean your bill won't rise at all during your contract.

Providers promising no mid-contract price rises include BeFibre, Toob and Trooli.

Still in contract? Keep on top of when it ends

If you're not in contract, providers promising no bill hikes until 2027 is a good incentive to switch today.

But if you're still locked in a minimum term, the best time to switch is always the moment it ends, according to Alex Tofts.

'Out-of-contract customers pay a 'loyalty penalty' averaging £6.90 more a month. Paying a £4 mid-contract rise on a competitive new deal is still cheaper than staying put and paying a premium on top of annual hikes,' he said.

You could even switch now if you're comfortable with paying early termination charges, especially if you bag a big enough monthly saving that it cancels out the termination fee.

It's also possible that a new provider will cover these termination charges. Vodafone is offering up to £200 in credit, Virgin Media is handing out up to £250, and EE will pay up to £300. You should check how to qualify for this credit before going ahead.

This year is the first for 'pounds and pence' price rises

Ofcom introduced regulations in 2025 that require broadband providers to be clearer about mid-contract price hikes, with most now listing price increases in pounds and pence.

The idea was to make price rises more transparent than previous inflation-linked hikes. 

But the rules have backfired, according to Alex Tofts of Broadband Genie, with Ofcom removing the ceiling of what providers can charge - and This is Money warned this would happen when the move was announced. 

Under the old system, typically CPI plus 3.9 per cent, a rise would be anchored to the measure of inflation.

'With inflation now sitting at much lower levels, fixed price rises of £3 or £4 are much higher than customers would have been paying under the old regulations,' he said.

'For example, a customer on a £25 a month plan with BT, EE, or Plusnet facing a £4 rise is effectively hit with a 16 per cent increase. Under the old inflation-linked model, that same customer would likely be paying closer to 7 per cent.'

He told us that Ofcom should go further and introduce a total ban on mid-contract price rises.

Find the fastest and cheapest broadband - and see if you can save

Broadband, TV and phone contracts are notoriously sticky, with customers often allowing deals to run on for many years while providers raise prices.

But it may be possible for you to get faster broadband, a better TV package and an improved phone deal, while saving money each month.

It is always worth comparing prices to see if you can save - particularly as the cost of living crisis bites. 

This is Money has partnered with Broadband Choices to offer readers the chance to easily search for the best and cheapest deals for their broadband, mobile and TV. 

> Can you save? Compare broadband, TV and phone deals