Money

TalkTalk to increase prices by up to £36 a year for millions of customers


MILLIONS of TalkTalk broadband and home phone customers are facing a bill hike of up to £36 a year.

All customers apart from two specific groups will be affected. 

The broadband provider is increasing prices for all customers.

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The broadband provider is increasing prices for all customers.Credit: Alamy

Those groups include customers the provider deems vulnerable, which could be due to their age or because they have a disability, and customers who entered their contract between November 10 2020 through to the end of February 2021. 

They’re not the first internet provider to issue price increases, with Virgin, EE, BT and Sky all announcing price hikes this year. 

Nick Baker, broadband expert at Uswitch.com, said: “TalkTalk has previously avoided taking part in the spring price rise ritual favoured by the rest of the market, so this increase of up to £36 a year could come as a shock to customers. 

“Like all broadband providers, TalkTalk has seen unprecedented internet traffic over the past year, and it says it needs to raise prices to invest in its network.”

How much will my bills increase?

The price rise is £2 a month on top of all customers’ existing broadband prices, which adds up to about £25 a year.

This excludes those who entered their contracts between November 10 2020 and February 28 2021, as well as any customers registered as vulnerable – who will not see any increase in price.

Customers who have add-ons in addition to their broadband such as calling features will see an increase capped at £3 a month which adds up to £36 a year.

So, the maximum total price increase for any customer is £3 per month

What you need to know as a TalkTalk customer

Here’s what will happen next:

If you’re a TalkTalk customer and you’re unhappy with the price hike, you can leave within 30 days of being notified with no exit fees.

If you’re a customer and haven’t been notified yet, it’s probably on its way to you. 

The provider started to inform customers starting March 1 about the changes, and all customers will receive their personal notification at least 30 days before their April bill is due. 

A spokesperson for the broadband provider told The Sun: “We’ve seen broadband increase by 40% this past year and we’ve had to invest heavily in our network as a result.

“Unfortunately, this has meant that we have had to raise our prices.

“We are as committed as ever to being the country’s only scale value broadband provider.”

What if I can’t afford the new amount?

TalkTalk told The Sun that customers who are worried about paying their next bill are encouraged to contact their customer services team.

You can do this via live chat or call them on 03454 565 598 to discuss late payment plans and other available options.  

Of course, if you’re out of the minimum term of your contract you could find a better deal elsehwre.

If you’re planning to switch, use comparison sites like Uswitch, Broadbandchoices and ComparetheMarket to find the best contract for you.

You should also try haggling down the cost of your bill if you want to stick with TalkTalk.

Sky last hiked broadband and TV prices by up to £72 a year in August.

Find out if you’re eligible for free broadband and data. 

Meanwhile, Three Mobile and Vodafone in November announced plans to annually hike prices by up to 4.6% for new customers.





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