by Broadband users across the UK have just been hit with significant price rises, with BT, Plusnet and EE increasing by 7.9 per cent, Sky at 8 per cent and 02 and Virgin Media at a whopping 8.8 per cent – even if you’re still in. middle of the fixed price contract.
Broadband providers tie their annual price increases to a measure called the Consumer Price Index (CPI), and this year, the CPI is sky-high, prompting broadband companies to raise their prices accordingly. The prospect of having to pay more for broadband bills than you did last month should be all the motivation to make sure you’re not missing out on a simple way to cover outgoing costs. reduce – especially when your usage levels have not changed.
The quickest way to find out if you can change your package to a cheaper deal is to contact your provider, and if you’re on benefits such as Universal Credit or Pension Credit, you may be able to switch to a social tariff – find out. more here.
Before you contact your provider, Liz Hunter, Director at Money Expert, has shared a complete step-by-step guide to help people reduce their broadband costs.
Check if you are out of contract
Look at the terms of your contract to see if you are in a contract or not. You can usually find out by logging in online or checking the initial paperwork sent through.
If you’re out of contract, you’re in luck. This means that the agreement you made with your supplier has ended and the terms no longer apply. Even better, it means you’re free to switch to a better value deal, with no exit fees.
If you are still in contract, you can still change providers, but you may be subject to an early cancellation fee. The good news? If you don’t want to pay the fee, there are still some tips and tricks you can use to lower your bill with your current provider.
Think about the speed you really want
Consider how you use the internet on a daily basis – if you are the only internet user in your home and only need to use the internet for casual browsing, sending emails and watching low resolution videos, a speed of 30MBps or less is sufficient. .
But if you work from home, use devices for entertainment such as gaming and if multiple devices are in use at the same time, faster speeds are worth considering – but this comes at a cost.
For example, a 24-month, 36Mbps contract with BT will currently set you back around £28.99 a month. If you upgraded to an ultra-fast 500Mbps speed, this would increase to £49.99 per month. Over the course of the two-year contract, that’s over £500 more.
If you’re on a contract and decide you could move to a lower speed, you can use this as leverage to fight your current provider. If you are out of contract, being notified can mean you pay for more speed than you need when you get a new deal.
Don’t forget to double check the speeds available in your area using Ofcom’s Broadband Checker.
Consider bundling up
Most providers offer bundled packages – which may include broadband, TV and mobile phone – for a lower total cost than buying each service separately. This can be a good way to save some immediate savings, so it’s a good idea to consider the potential cost of both during your search.
However, don’t let your provider lure you into fancy deals and talk you into paying for a service you don’t need. If you only watch free channels and only use mobile data, a huge TV and mobile package might not be the best deal and could cost you more in the long term.
Be aware that bundling up can make it harder (and more difficult than ever) to cancel, change suppliers or negotiate any mid-contract price increases.
Use comparison sites to benchmark the best deals
Now you’re armed with all the information you need – in particular, what speed you need and whether you’re open to a bundle deal – head to a comparison site to find out which provider can offer you the lowest price.
Don’t make any moves yet, though. For now, make a note of the deals that seem like the best value to you. Make sure to include the provider, contract length, speed, monthly cost, fixed cost and any freebies or incentives.
Start haggling – in most cases, it works
With a list of suppliers and the deals they can offer you, call your supplier and start the haggling process.
Customers willing to call their broadband provider save an average of 7 per cent – almost enough to offset the impact of April’s price increase.
If you’re out of contract or about to go out of contract, see if they can match the deals you’ve found online – or, even better, offer a lower price. If you’re still under contract, use your research to negotiate a better deal.
For example, you could:
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Ask to cancel services you don’t use, such as a TV or landline package
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Ask to add services, such as a mobile phone or TV package, to get a full discount
Ask him to slow down
Don’t forget to mention the deals you find online as leverage to get a discount, especially if you got much cheaper deals from other suppliers.
If you’ve been a customer for years, let them know – customer loyalty can work in your favor.
If you are still not satisfied, threaten to cancel
If your supplier refuses to negotiate, threatening to cancel may be a good move. However, if you are still tied to a long contract, make sure to find out the exit fee before doing so.
If you’re out of contract – or in the middle of a contract, but comfortable paying the potential exit penalty – you’re in a much stronger position. Please inform your provider that, unfortunately, you are thinking of leaving.
This usually means that you will be put through to the ‘customer care’ team, who are often able to offer much stronger discounts and better deals to entice you to stay. If they can’t, it might be time to ditch one of the best deals you’ve found online and get it right.
Remember to be kind and courteous to the phone operator because getting frustrated or angry is a surefire way to discourage them from helping you get a better deal.
