Virgin Media broadband customers are being urged to check their contracts before bills are hiked by 7.5% in April.
This increase comes as part of Virgin Media’s annual mid-contract price rises.
While Ofcom banned telecom firms from tying mid-contract price hikes to inflation from January 17, the rules typically only apply to new customers.
This means customers who took out contracts before certain dates still face larger inflation-linked increases based on the old rules.
Ernest Doku, telecoms expert at Uswitch.com said January’s Retail Price Index (RPI) announcement heralds “bad news” for the majority of Virgin Media customers, as it means their broadband bills will soar by 7.5% in April. According to the comparison site, Virgin Media is one of the main providers to link price increases to the RPI.
Mr Doku said: “Virgin Media broadband customers paying the average broadband cost of £355 per year will see their bills rise by £26.”
For Virgin Media customers, this inflation-linked increase only applies to those who took out their contract before January 9, 2025.
Customers who took out a Virgin Media contract after January 9 will be subject to Ofcom’s new ‘pounds and pence’ price rise rules.
This will amount to £3.50 per month for broadband customers, which Mr Doku said “make these the steepest of providers’ mid-contract price rises this cycle.”
However, the telecoms expert urged people to check their contracts, as they may be able to avoid the hike.
He said: “If you’re one of the estimated two million Virgin Media customers who are out of contract or coming to the end of your existing mobile or broadband deal, you don’t need to put up with price rises.
“The launch of One Touch Switch means it’s never been easier for broadband customers to vote with their feet and switch providers.”
The ‘One Touch Switch’ process, launched by Ofcom, means broadband customers only need to contact their new provider to make the change.
Mr Doku continued: “Smaller, regional broadband providers like Hyperoptic and Trooli don’t raise their prices mid-contract, and customers can save on average £181 a year by switching providers.
Mr Doku added: “You don’t have to let price hikes slide – it only takes a few minutes to run a comparison and see what other options are out there.”
A Virgin Media spokesperson said: “We announced in November that we’re changing how we communicate and implement price increases for new and re-contracting customers. Instead of percentage-based price changes linked to inflation, contracts will specify an annual price increase in pounds and pence, giving customers greater certainty about how their bills may change over the course of their contract.
“As per the terms and conditions they agreed to when signing up, and in line with Ofcom’s new rules, some existing Virgin Media customers on older contracts will receive an inflation-linked price increase in April equivalent to RPI+3.9%.
“We know that price changes are never welcome, but with broadband usage on our network up by nearly 10% last year, we continue to provide excellent value for connectivity that our customers are relying on more than ever before. We also continue to support customers who need it most – for example through exempting social tariff and Talk Protected landline customers from any price changes.”
