A quarter (25%) of mobile contract holders and a third (31%) of broadband customers do not know if their bills could rise during the term of their contract, according to Uswitch.com.
Due to the terms of their deal, over 15 million customers could feel the sharp end of a mid-contract price increase at the start of next month.
From April, broadband is expected to increase by £21.99 per year for customers still on an inflation-linked deal, while this could be higher for those on the new ‘pounds and pence’ plan.
The reforms by regulator Ofcom mean firms must set out when customers can expect their prices to increase during their phone or broadband contract.
Hikes for customers on a pounds and pence plan could reach £42 per year from April.
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For phone contracts, prices are expected to increase by £15.90 on inflation-linked deals and £48 for the new pounds and pence bill.
While there are millions of Brits unaware of potentially having to fork out more than they’d like to pay on their phone or broadband bill, many are also free to change providers and secure a much better offer.
More than nine million households are out of contract on their broadband contract, while 33 million are out of contract on their mobile phone package.
A separate Which? study found customers who switched TV and broadband providers saved £160 by doing so.
‘Strain on already tight wallets’
Ernest Doku, telecoms expert at Uswitch.com, said: “Year after year, mobile and broadband providers raise their prices every April, yet many Brits remain unaware that their monthly bills are about to increase, putting a strain on already tight wallets.
“Ofcom’s new rules, which came into effect in January 2025, mean that all mid-contract price increases now need to be communicated in pounds and pence when consumers take out their contract. However, as many providers have implemented these rules only for new and re-contracting customers, the majority will still have a price rise linked to this year’s CPI or RPI figure.”
Doku added: “While price rises are set to hit the majority of customers, there are millions of mobile and broadband customers currently out of contract and can act now to beat the April hikes. Smaller, regional broadband providers such as Trooli and Hyperoptic don’t raise their prices mid-contract, and many smaller mobile networks, such as SMARTY and VOXI, commit to fixed prices throughout your 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 swerve the mobile and broadband bill sting this spring.”
