Virgin Media O2 To Increase Prices By 8.8%, + Others From 6.7%, What Are Your Options?

Morning, not the best of news this morning for many, but Customers of Virgin Media O2, who are on a contract that stipulates an annual price increase based on the Retail Price Index (RPI) plus 3.9% every February, we are now aware of the extent of the increase. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) released the most recent inflation figures on February 14th, with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) remaining steady at 4% and the RPI at 4.9%, this affects SIMO and broadband offerings, smartphone + contract won't be impacted according to ispreview

That is an 8.8% increase Come March 31st, this is one of the highest increases of any other provider. listed below are some of the other increases which i expect to be announced:

• EE annual price rise CPI + 3.9% = 7.9%
• BT annual price rise CPI + 3.9% = 7.9%
• Plusnet annual price rise CPI + 3.9% = 7.9%
• TalkTalk annual price rise CPI + 3.7% = 7.7%
• Sky Broadband average price rise of 6.7% (Some will pay as much as 13.4% in rare cases)
• Vodafone annual price rise CPI + 3.9% = 7.9%

What are your options?

If your VMO2 contract is due for renewal, then haggling will be your best option, I generally use Three's 5G home broadband as a good haggling tool, currently 6 months half price then £22pm, tell Virgin you are going on that offer, then 99 times out of 100, retentions will call you back and offer you something better

Smaller broadband providers

If you are in an area that is serviced by some of the smaller broadband providers, you have the option to go with them, they offer some of the best BB offers currently, and are constantly expanding their coverage, albeit very slowly, Listed are some of the smaller providers

Note that if taking out a Virgin contract now, you won't be affected by April 2024 increase, but will with April 2025, by that time hopefully Ofcom would have announced new measures to ban mid contract price hikes.

ZZOOMM from £29.95pm with £100 voucher
4th Utility from £15pm
Fibrus from £29.99pm with 3 months free
Hyperoptic from £17.99pm
Community Fibre from £20pm
KCom from £19.99pm

Social Broadband Offers

BT Home essentials for £15 / £20 per month with speeds of up to 67mb
G - Network Essential fibre broadband 50mb for £15 per month
Hyperoptic fair fibre, £15 per month for 50mb
New Vodafone 73Mbps offer for £20pm

Note the above are just guides, there may be cheaper alternatives out there