Original article ISPreview UK:Read More
City-focused alternative broadband ISP Hyperoptic, which claims to have already deployed their full fibre (FTTP/B) network to cover 1.9 million UK homes passed, has just become the latest telecoms provider to increase the customer cost impact of their existing mid-contract pricing policy.
The internet provider, which is home to 400,000 active subscribers (9th Jun 2025), previously increased the monthly price that broadband customers paid by a flat £3 extra in April every year. But they’ve now followed recent changes at BT and other major ISPs by raising the level of this increase from £3 to £4 for new customers (existing customers remain on the old policy).
Annual price hikes are of course nothing new in this market, as well as many others. Often there are strong reasons for prices to go up, not least because providers are frequently adding all sorts of new services (e.g. 5G SA, FTTP), developing new systems, facing higher charges from suppliers and energy usage, implementing costly new Ofcom rules and dealing with tax hikes from the government etc.
Nevertheless, there is a growing feeling among consumers that broadband and mobile providers are becoming increasingly unfair in their pricing practices, and often hitting those who can least afford it the hardest (e.g. you get the same £4 hike regardless of whether you’re paying for the cheapest or most expensive plan). Much of this is being driven by Ofcom’s own policy change (here) and even the government seems to be struggling with how to respond (here).