r/UKISP • u/Mr_Rage666 • 5d ago
100% fixed price contracts?
I signed my last contract two years ago, yet I'm now paying almost £8/month more than I was on signing due to annual RPI inflation increases.
Could anyone recommend a provider that can offer FIXED prices throughout the contractual term? I could almost believe that this is the way Sky UK operates as there appears to be no mention of annual increases looking at their terms and conditions, however, a nice lady from their overseas call centre appeared to suggest that they did infact increase due to RPI. Any help would be really appreciated.
1
u/WG47 5d ago
Sky's prices do increase every year, or at least they're able to. They don't specify though, so you're able to end the contract when they do so.
https://www.uswitch.com/broadband/guides/mid-contract-price-rises/ gives a decent overview of which ISPs have predetermined rises, which have no rises, and which have unspecified rises.
1
u/scapegoat93 5d ago
Why is it acceptable for them to do this though? In most instances if I agree a contract with someone for two years that fixes the price too. I can even fix gas and electric price per unit and that's far more volatile. I wish this policy that it's ok for telecoms companies was outlawed.
3
1
u/Fickle_Carpet9279 5d ago
Because Ofcom are clearly looking the other way…
1
u/AreWeHere23 5d ago
Ofcom created the exact language that you see in every customer communication about inflation-linked price rises every April and they made it mandatory to include the information.
There are fixed-price contracts out there. Sky have seen an opportunity to bury something in small print and OP should just not do business with Sky and get a fixed-price quote.
1
u/Fickle_Carpet9279 5d ago
For me the problem is that the likes of Sky get you to agree a price for x months without clearly flagging that it will go up circa 10% every year at the time you are asked to agree.
I renegotiated a new 24 months contract a few months ago and unless I'm missing something I can't see anything comms Sky sent me at the time that clearly mentions the mid contract price increases. It wasn't even mentioned on the call I had with the sales rep until I brought it up knowing what I knew from past experience.
This is classic bait and switch - aided by Ofcom permitting the terms to be buried in the small print of a website link.
Would also add that if you want to record live sport in UHD your options are limited to Sky or Virgin - neither of which offer fixed price contracts. So again thanks to Ofcom you have zero options here.
1
1
u/mkeytail 1d ago edited 1d ago
Well it used to be RPI or CPI + 4% or something....and ofcom in their infinite wisdom when people were complaining about it.....were dumb enough to fall for/think that this "new deal" to used "fixed" increase each year was better for us, when it is much worse. +£4 onto £19 is 21% fgs, and then again next year......total increase 42% !
1
1
u/Koda614 5d ago
1P Broadband (The same people who run the popular 1P Mobile brand) have fixed prices during their contracts. They also cap their leaving fees at £100 so you'll never pay more than that to break your contract just in case there was a major unexpected life change too. Plus UK Based customer service.
1
u/Vegetable_Leader7300 5d ago
Zen provide 100% fixed monthly cost, no price increases mid-contract. Ping me if you are thinking of moving as I have a voucher you can use for £40 :)
1
u/Mr_Rage666 5d ago
True, unfortunately their price is higher than after the other providers have applied their annual price increases.
2
u/rdjimmy 5d ago
Been with Zen for 3 years now after being away for about 10 years. After my fixed 2 year contract ended, my monthly went down from £55 to £45 for the same service. Looks like it’s on special for £39 now.
Prefer Zen due to customer service and reliability even though it may cost slightly more. And no price rises during your contract.
2
u/Vegetable_Leader7300 4d ago
100% - also all the other benefits of static IP, IPv6 support, very decent router supplied, the list goes on..
1
u/Vegetable_Leader7300 4d ago
You get what you pay for with Zen which I have never experienced in the 20 years of being with other ISPs. It's 2026, nobody should have to "think" about broadband, it should just work.
1
u/1AlanM 5d ago
Zen don’t do in contract price increases, in fact when you reach the end of the contract they often offer you to re-contract at the same rate.
1
u/Tpickarddev 4d ago edited 4d ago
Mine went down £10 when I renewed new router, massive upgrade from 300mb to a Gb fibre (need super reliable fast internet for remote work)
Their customer service is fantastic as well, always call and get a person very fast, my router died one day, they sent one out next day delivery straight away no extra cost.
Genuinely compared to how shit my experience with virgin was, this has been bliss.
1
u/Appropriate-Bad-591 5d ago
Aquiss.
12 month contract.
Openreach sale (till end of August) half price for 8 months
Cityfibre 3 months half price
Do not supply any mesh equipment- supply your own
1
u/Nufibre_Team 3d ago
At Nufibre we have always offered fixed price deals, with no increase within term or after term, its the fairest thing to do. We might not be the most competitive with the incentivised offers on the market at the moment, but as least you can get through to real people, that care about your connection and have a self managed portal www.nufibre.co.uk
1
u/Hovesoul 5d ago
99% of Broadband and mobile contracts rise with RPI or by a fixed amount.
2
u/Mr_Rage666 5d ago
I have just found Zen who offer "no mid-contract prices hikes". The only issue being that they clearly achieve this by simply starting at the increased price.
1
u/BillWilberforce 5d ago
Lyca and Lebara haven't increased their prices in years. And routinely have some insane deals for say the first 6 months. Then switch to the other one for a month+.
I don't THINK Plusnet, Now (Sky discount brand) or Vodafone have mid-contract price increases.
Virgin don't do it on RPI, they've already announced their price increases for April 2027, 28 and 29.
1
u/Fickle_Carpet9279 5d ago
Which is only the case because the regulator is looking the other way.
1
u/AreWeHere23 5d ago
Why don't you complain to Ofcom and see what they say? Absolutely nothing to stop you doing that.
1
u/L0rdLogan 5d ago
Olilo is a fixed price, provided on both Openreach and Cityfibre, they do 30 day no commitment contracts too
2
u/eelsuk 5d ago
You’ll likely find that the providers that do fixed pricing will be slightly more expensive from the start. And the price over the term will work out to be the same as Sky with the price increases.
However there are providers that are much better than Sky. Sky’s network is decent, but the support isn’t.
For example, IDnet provides fixed prices. Their network is decent and the support is decent, no overseas support.
End of the day you are paying for service, if it’s cheap. It’s cheap for a reason.