How to avoid broadband price increases

Most broadband providers put their prices up at some point during your contract with them. They're perfectly within their rights to do this as long as they make it clear what the price rise will be when you sign up. So how do you avoid being surprised by an unwelcome increase?

How much are mid-contract broadband and mobile price rises?

This year, most providers that are imposing mid-contract price rises are upping bills by £3 or £4 extra per month. But the exact rise varies by provider and what contract you're on.

It used to be common for providers to calculate price rises based on inflation plus an added margin. Ofcom decided this wasn't fair to customers because they didn't know exactly what the rise would be when they signed the contract. So any broadband contract taken out from 17 January 2025 has to have any future price rises given clearly in pounds and pence.

Unfortunately, contracts signed before that still use the old and less certain way of expressing future price rises. They take the Consumer Price Index (CPI) or the Retail Price Index (RPI) and then add a percentage on top. They usually use the CPI or RPI number from a few months before the price rise.

Many providers put their prices up in spring 2026. Here's a breakdown of the most recent price rises by provider as of March 2026. ^[2]

Social tariffs are typically exempt from mid-contract price rises, although there might be certain exceptions depending on the provider. So always check terms and conditions for clarity.

When do broadband prices usually go up?

Most broadband providers put their prices up around the start of the financial year, which means late March or early April.

How much should you pay for broadband?

Our latest figures show that the average broadband deal through us comes in at £26.06 a month.^[3]

If you're after broadband with a landline, it’ll cost a bit more, averaging £31.74. And if you opt for a broadband and TV bundle, the price rises to £45.12.

The actual amount you’ll end up paying will depend on factors like the speed and type of package you choose, as well as your connection type. A more detailed breakdown of typical broadband costs can be found below:

• General - £25-£60 per month for a 24-month fixed-term broadband package
• Full fibre (Fibre-to-the-Premises/FTTP) - Most people pay between £40-£60 per month
• Hybrid fibre (Fibre-to-the-Cabinet/FTTC) - Most people pay between £25-£32 per month

Take a look at our guide to see if you’re overpaying for broadband and whether you might be able to get a better deal elsewhere.

Who can switch?

Anyone can switch broadband providers. But if you're leaving before the minimum term of your contract is up, there will probably be exit fees to pay. So always check before switching.

The switching process for fixed broadband is very easy these days, thanks to Ofcom rules that means your new provider has to handle the admin on your behalf. With One Touch Switch, you don't need to contact your old provider - you can just leave.

If you’re out of contract

Once the fixed term of your contract is over, you'll be moved onto a rolling deal that's almost always more expensive than your original contract. But the good news is that you're free to switch. See if you can save by finding a new deal.

Can't remember when you signed up? Ofcom says that as a home broadband customer, your contract shouldn't be any longer than 24 months. So if it's been more than two years since you last changed provider or upgraded, you're definitely free to switch.

For shorter contracts you can of course switch sooner. Always check first by looking at a bill or logging into your online account.

If your minimum term close to ending

If your minimum term is drawing to a close, it's worth looking into the deals that are available now to give yourself the best chance of maximising your savings on a new contract.

Roughly a month before the end of your minimum term, you’ll be in a strong negotiating position with your current provider. If they can’t beat the top deals you’ve seen, you should consider switching.

If your minimum term isn’t expiring for several months

If you’ve got a while to go before the end of your minimum term, you’ll likely face an exit fee if you switch. These are usually based on how long there is to go on your contract. So the earlier you leave, the more you'll pay.

Having said this, some providers might offer you something towards an early exit fee to tempt you to switch now. So it’s worth keeping an eye out for those deals if you’re looking to move to a different provider.

You might also be able to leave penalty-free if you can prove you’re not getting the service you were promised when you signed up. We explain more in our guide to broadband cancellation rights.

How can I get a better price for my broadband?

Here’s how to seek out a better deal:

1 Use a comparison site

You can take a look at lots of broadband providers and prices in one simple search.

All you’ll usually need to tell us is your postcode and who your broadband is currently with and we’ll show you a wide range of deals available where you live.

2. Negotiate with your current provider (optional)

Happy with your current provider but you’re just not keen on the price? You can use the information you gathered when comparing to negotiate a better deal.

There’s no guarantee your current provider will be able to offer something similar, though. So be prepared to move to a different provider if your current one can’t match it.

3. Pick your new deal and switch

If you find a deal you like (or your current broadband provider can't offer you a deal that you're satisfied with), you can cancel without penalty and sign up with a different provider instead.

Make sure you confirm the date of your last payment with your current broadband provider so you can arrange when to start your new one.

Switching broadband provider

Our figures show that more people are looking to switch broadband providers. In March 2025 we saw a 21% increase in people using Go.Compare to find broadband deals, compared to March 2024.

Nathan Blackler, our broadband expert, says: “While it's certainly possible to switch at any stage in your contract, you'll have to pay an early termination fee and perhaps even pay a fee for returning your provider’s equipment.

"Before switching, you should weigh up the cost of staying with your current provider and paying the increased amount versus switching to a new deal.”

It’s also worth considering that many providers will be increasing their prices in line with the rising cost of living, so check you can find a better deal before cancelling your current one.

Learn more about your broadband cancellation rights.

How to get broadband deals with no price increase

While broadband contracts with most of the big providers come with a built-in price increase, some altnets offer fixed-price deals where the price is guaranteed to stay the same until the end of the contract.

If saving money is your goal, it makes sense for you to compare all the deals available, not just the fixed-price offers. Sometimes a deal with built-in hikes is still the cheapest overall. Luckily our broadband deals search makes it easy to compare by the full contract price as well as the monthly payment you start on.

Altnets are more likely than mainstream providers to offer fixed-price contracts, so check to see if there are any in your area.

If you really hate price changes then another option is to choose a short-term contract so you can cancel with little notice if a price rise comes in.

But these deals are often more expensive, so a 12-month contract might be a better fit for you, depending on your circumstances.

What is a fixed price broadband deal?

A fixed-price broadband deal helps guarantee that the monthly price you agree to pay for your contract won’t increase during its minimum term.

Benefits include:

• Price stability - you won’t have to face unexpected price hikes
• Planning - fixed prices allow you to budget your broadband more efficiently

As an example, Hyperoptic offers fixed-price broadband deals with no price rises during the contract, providing guaranteed monthly costs for packages. These range from 50 Mbps to gigabit-capable speeds, with options for broadband only or bundled with phone services.

Consider bundling broadband, TV and phone together

You might be able to get a cheaper deal by bundling your broadband, phone and digital TV into one convenient package.

But, it’s worth knowing that if your price increase only applies to your broadband, your right to cancel might only apply to that service and not to your TV package, phone line and other bundled services.

Compare broadband bundles

FAQs

Why are providers allowed to enforce mid-contract price hikes?

Under new Ofcom rules, providers can only raise prices midway through your contract if the increases are clearly specified in pounds and pence at sign-up. Providers must also specify when these rises will occur.

They justify a broadband increase every year so they can continue to maintain their existing level of service and invest in their infrastructure.

With many providers still implementing a broadband increase every year, you should check your contract terms carefully before signing up.

Will mid-contract price rises be banned?

No, there are no plans to ban mid-contract price rises. Ofcom has brought in new rules about how providers communicate those rises, but the rises themselves are still completely legal. Since 17 January 2025, providers have to make clear:

• What any future price rises will be (in pounds and pence)
• When they will come in

If they don't do this, you're not obliged to accept future price rises so you are free to leave when they announce a price rise is coming up.

If you have this information when you sign the contract, you are effectively agreeing to the future price rises and you can't leave without paying the usual exit penalties.

Can you cancel broadband if they increase the price?

You can cancel your broadband at any time but you’ll usually be charged an early exit fee. If your bill has gone up due to a planned mid-contract price rise, you won’t be able to leave penalty-free, so long as your provider has given you this information at the outset. Check the terms of your contract to see if price rises are mentioned.

Once your minimum term is up, your bill will usually go up significantly. If you’re out of contract, you can leave any time without paying any early exit fees. All you need to do is compare deals on a price comparison site like ours and you’ll almost certainly be able to find a cheaper deal.

Bear in mind that some providers might offer to pay something towards an early exit fee. So it’s worth comparing deals to see if there’s anything out there that would make switching worthwhile.

Which broadband providers don’t increase prices?

At the time of writing, there are 20 broadband providers that are offering deals that don’t come with mid-contract price rises, including:

• Airband
• BeFibre
• Brsk broadband
• Community Fibre
• Connect Fibre
• Fibrus
• 4th Utility
• Hey!Broadband
• Hyperoptic
• LightSpeed
• Rebel
• Rise Fibre
• Quickline
• Toob
• Trooli
• Truespeed
• YouFibre
• Zen Internet
• Zzoomm

What to do if you can’t afford your bill

If you’re struggling to pay your broadband bill, contact your provider immediately to discuss options like:

• Repayment plans
• Lower tariffs
• Maybe moving to a broadband social tariff

You can also explore independent debt advice services for further information and support.

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^[1] As of 1st June 2026, there are 32 active broadband providers on the panel at Go.Compare

^[2] All price rise information taken from providers' websites and correct as of 24 March 2026.

• BT, About annual price changes
• EE, About annual price changes
• Plusnet, About annual price changes
• TalkTalk, Annual price update and CPI
• Virgin Media, About annual price change
• Sky, An update on our TV and broadband prices
• NOW Broadband, Changes to your NOW Broadband membership
• Three, Changes to your monthly charge
• Vodafone, Changes to the price of your plan from April 2025

^[3] Data in this section relates to broadband deals bought through Go.Compare between 1 October 2025 and 22 March 2026.