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Locked in and paying more?

Mid-contract broadband price hikes can leave you scratching your head and clutching your wallet.

Regrettably, they’re becoming more prevalent across internet suppliers.

We’ve got you covered, from the fine print behind price hikes to practical tips to help you dodge them.

Our experts are eager to break down the puzzles around mid-contract broadband pricing rises so that you can stay on top of digital connectivity, whilst keeping control of your budget.

When did Broadband Prices Increase?

You may have noticed that your monthly broadband price has quietly increased since April.

If you haven’t already, it’s a good idea to check your most current bill as soon as you can.

This latest price hike is the result of a significant increase in inflation that began in 2023.

As a result, a sizeable portion of subscribers have seen an unexpected increase in their monthly charges.

In some cases, this is up to 15%—a huge price increase that coincides with an ongoing cost of living crisis.

Even if you’ve agreed to a fixed monthly rate throughout your contract period, price rises are becoming regrettably common nationwide.

According to a recent Which? survey, customers could face an uplift of over £100 per year as a result of recent mid-contract broadband price hikes.

What are Mid-Contract Broadband Price Hikes?

Mid-contract broadband price rises are the act of increasing your current monthly price, whilst you are still in the middle of your contract.

Typically occurring annually, these adjustments are linked to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation rate, which is published each January.

This amalgamation often results in an annual price increase of approximately 4-5%, regardless of the initial rate you agreed upon when entering your contract.

Price rises are imposed to help suppliers offset the mounting costs associated with running a business and providing their internet service.

However, the anomaly in 2023 emerged due to an unusually high CPI rate of 10.5% recorded in January.

As a result, the ensuing broadband contract price adjustments for 2023 exceeded the norm and left a lot of us reeling.

Some prices rose by a shocking 14.4% this year!

Can I Switch Deals if my Bill Goes up?

You might be thinking “Well, surely I can just switch deals to avoid any mid-contract broadband price hikes?”

It’s unfortunately not always that simple.

This depends on the contract you signed up for with your existing supplier.

When you take out a new broadband deal, you agree to accept the terms and conditions put in place by your supplier.

These days, most T&Cs tend to mention that their prices will increase mid-contract, in line with inflation.

This might be tucked away within the fine print of your contract, or maybe your supplier will be more upfront about it.

Either way, we always recommend re-reading your contract in detail – even if it feels like a chore!

If your contract does not include any mention of mid-contract price rises, you have 30 days to switch fee-free.

If it does mention price rises, you could face an exit fee.

You’ll find information about your exit fees within your T&Cs.

What Are Exit Fees?

Exit fees are charges that you might face for leaving your current broadband deal before your contract period is up.

In some cases, you may have to pay for the remaining months left of your contract, but this varies depending on your supplier.

This is something our experts can investigate in depth for you.

Do any Suppliers Offer a Guaranteed Fixed Price?

Some internet suppliers do guarantee you a fixed ‘price for life’ – you just have to know where to look!

We’ve made it easy to search all the latest broadband deals from a range of suppliers in your area.

If you’re approaching the end of your contract when you find out about a price hike, the time couldn’t be better to switch and save!

One of our trusted suppliers, Neatley, offers every customer a fixed and affordable ‘price for life’ guarantee.

Find out more or get in touch directly on 0330 341 1954 today.

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5 Broadband Myths we Need to Debunk

Switching broadband deals isn’t the burden you think it is.

As technology evolves, so does your need for quality internet.

A lot of us couldn’t bear the thought of going without Wi-Fi for a day – but this doesn’t mean you should be afraid of switching suppliers.

Once the initial contract period ends, many of us find ourselves suddenly paying over the odds for subpar internet.

Fast speeds and lower prices could be a switch away, but there are a few misconceptions putting people off.

Our experts have explained the truth about switching broadband deals.

Why are people staying put with their current broadband deal?

According to a recent Which survey, almost 50% of respondents said they’ve never switched broadband deals.

Many consumers have the same excuses for staying put – but they’re not necessarily true.

Some customers stick with their supplier out of a misguided sense of loyalty or fear the switching process is simply not worth it, for various reasons (and they’re usually inaccurate!).

As a result, we’re seeing thousands of people missing out on potential savings and better broadband every year.

In this blog post, we aim to set the record straight and help empower you to switch your broadband deal today.

What’s more, you’ll discover that switching can be a great way to save on upgrade on other deals too, like your mobile plan.

The top 5 Switching Myths we Hear

Don’t believe the rumours!

We’ve explained the top 5 most common myths below.

Myth 1: Switching is Too Complicated and Time-Consuming

One of the most common myths about switching broadband is that it’s an incredibly complicated and time-consuming process.

We know this isn’t the case.

With the help of Switch Experts, the sign-up process has never been easier.

We take care of the switch from your current provider (if you have one), liaise with your new supplier and keep you updated along every step of the way right up until your activation.

Additionally, many providers offer to handle the cancellation of your current service, making the transition seamless. With the right guidance and support, switching can be completed in a matter of days, ensuring minimal disruption to your connectivity.

Myth 2: Switching Will Result in Downtime and Disruptions

This is another prevalent myth – and we understand why it sounds off-putting! Nowadays, switching your broadband doesn’t cause any major downtime or disruptions. If your new supplier is using the same network (like Openreach), as your existing supplier, you’ll be up and running on your new deal in a day.

This is also the case if you’re switching from a fibre deal to another fibre deal, with no landline phone involved. It’s when you switch from an ADSL deal to fibre (getting rid of your landline) that it can get a bit more complicated.

If a visit from an engineer is required, you’ll be given plenty of notice before arranging a visit – and you’ll still be up and running within two weeks.

Our experts will guide you through this and explore if your new supplier offers a temporary solution to keep you connected throughout the switch, such as mobile broadband.

Myth 3: I Will Lose My Email Address and Contacts

If your email address is associated with your current provider, we know it could seem daunting to switch. Some internet providers will let you keep your existing email address and account, but the majority don’t.

This is something our experts can advise you on, however, we do strongly recommend creating a new email account with a free service.

Many of the large email providers, such as Gmail and Outlook, even have advanced technology to seamlessly fetch and import your old details.

Whilst you may have to spend a bit of time on email forwarding and editing, you won’t be tied down again.

Myth 4: Switching Providers is Expensive

We know for a fact this myth isn’t true – and you can likely attest to this!

Many providers offer enticing deals and incentives to attract new customers, including zero installation fees or free equipment.

Do you remember signing up for a new deal because it guaranteed low prices for a set period? Once this period ends, you’ll be auto enrolled to a new plan that could cost more.

You could save up to nearly £200 per year on your broadband bills – just by switching your deal.

Myth 5: All Providers Offer the Same Service, So There’s No Point in Switching

Every provider offers different plans, speeds, and features tailored to various consumer needs.

If you’ve been on a long term broadband plan, for example 18 months or longer, it’s likely that your area has received infrastructure upgrades by now. You could be sitting on an affordable fibre deal instead of being tied to a landline bundle!

It’s also important to consider if you’re truly happy with the service you’ve received from your current supplier. We only work with reputable  brands to ensure we can offer the right deals.

Perhaps you think customer support could have been better, or you’d like to explore different products or add-ons (like a mobile 4G broadband router.) We think it’s essential that the service you receive is worth every penny you pay.

Are There any Downsides to Switching?

The switching process only becomes difficult when you go into the world of broadband deals alone.

Manually trawling through separate sites and getting multiple quotes becomes a confusing chore.

In our opinion, it simply doesn’t have to be.

Our deal checker tool is free and only shows deals tailored to you.

We don’t charge a penny and aim to get you switched, sorted and saving money as soon as possible.

Ready to switch and save?

With Switch Experts, it’s never been easier to save money and time.

In a world where costs are increasing left right and centre, we understand that every penny counts.

If you’ve gone over your contract end date, now is the perfect time to switch and start saving money straight away.

We personalise our deals to your internet needs and explore a range of plans from different internet providers, with no hidden fees whatsoever for using our deal checker.

Get started today and find your new broadband plan.

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Broadband contract ending soon? Lucky you

Receiving that end date notification means you’ve got a chance to save more money.

What’s more – it doesn’t take half as much time or effort as you might think either.

Given how the cost-of-living crisis has affected us all, it’s never been more crucial to compare and switch.

We see a lot of customers being pleasantly surprised at how much they could save on their broadband.

Despite this, it’s often overlooked – and for reasons that surprise us.

Did you know you could save nearly £200 a year by switching your ISP?

What about auto-renewal?

Unfortunately, loyalty doesn’t help you save money!

Although it became law in 2020 for energy suppliers for notify customers when their end date is due, this doesn’t mean you don’t have to act on it.

In most cases, you’ll continue your current plan – but not necessarily for the same price.

Say you chose your current 12/18/24 month contract because of its low monthly price, this will only be for a limited time.

Despite Ofcom making it law to notify customers, a lot of people are still facing an unpleasant surprise when their contract end date arrives.

Why don’t more people switch?

We see a lot of customers reluctant to switch, either out of misguided loyalty or because switching seems like a lot of hassle.

According to a recent Which survey, 43% of people say they stay put because they’re happy with the service. This is fair enough, but is it worth paying more for? Fibre is more widespread and affordable than ever before, so you might find a new supplier makes you even happier!

37% are afraid they’ll lose their current email address. These days, losing your email is unlikely – but it’s quick and easy to set up a separate one.

32% say they fear the whole process is “too much hassle”.

We’re here to compare and switch for you, so you get to enjoy a seamless change over.

A bit of bargain hunting pays off – especially when you do it with our experts.

Switching is easier than you think

A lot of broadband networks now share the same infrastructure, making a switch over quick and easy. It’s highly unlikely that you’ll be left without an internet connection during your switch, even if you’re upgrading from ADSL to fibre.

Generally, you’ll never be waiting longer than 2 weeks for the transition to be complete – and this for the most complex switches.

Saving doesn’t mean downgrading!

More properties are eligible for fibre than ever before. In fact, 95% of properties can now access superfast Wi-Fi – but a lot of homeowners don’t know this!

If it’s been a while since you last changed deals, you’ll be surprised at how many suppliers have upgraded their service.

Because fibre is readily available, prices are competitive – making it all the more crucial to compare.

Don’t let your end date creep up – or else your bill will creep up too!

Find the best deal today

Once you’ve given us your postcode, we scour the web to find every available deal in your area.

We handpick deals from a range of suppliers (including bundles and 4G routers).

Plus, you’ve got our friendly, impartial advisors to help guide you through the process too!

Search for your new broadband deal in a few clicks.

With the help of our experts and our free tool, you can also find your next mobile deal with us too.