Tag: broadband
The Future of Internet Speed: What to Expect in 2024 and Beyond
Once upon a time, in the age of dial-up, even one megabit per second was considered a fast internet speed. Today, that’s barely enough to register on an internet speed test, and the average US internet speed is now a sprightly 171 mbps — many times faster than just a few years ago. Plus, many…
Ofcom investigates Virgin Media over migration from analogue to digital landlines
Ofcom has opened an investigation into Virgin Media’s compliance with its rules while migrating customers from analogue to digital landlines. In a statement it said: "We have been clear that during this process telecoms companies must ensure they identify, protect and support vulnerable customers. We are concerned about Virgin Media’s compliance with our rules requiring providers…
Sky hikes annual prices by average of 6.7%
Sky internet, phone and Pay TV customers have today been told to brace for an average annual price hike of 6.7%, down from 8.1% last year. This will be introduced from 1st April 2024. While Sky has traditionally shunned the inflationary (CPI/RPI) linked price hike policies of their rivals, which in recent years has resulted…
Telecoms firms must ditch ‘outrageous’ price rises, Which? warns
Broadband and mobile users face being trapped this Spring between price rises of potentially more than £60, or contract exit fees which may exceed £500, Which? research has found. The consumer watchdog is calling on telecoms firms to scrap these grossly unfair plans for April 2024 inflation-linked hikes that regulator Ofcom clearly determined cause 'substantial…
UK broadband prices to jump by nearly double inflation rate
Millions of broadband customers will be hit by price rises at almost double the rate of inflation from April, after December’s inflation figure unexpectedly rose to 4pc BT customers are among those facing above-inflation price rises this year despite it pledging to scrap mid-contract, inflation-linked price rises from the summer. The former state monopoly and…
Which? urges telecoms firms to scrap mid-contract broadband price hikes
Which? is calling on telecoms firms to halt any plans to press ahead with ‘unconscionable’ broadband and mobile price hikes in April, even after the industry regulator found the practice harms consumers and set out proposals to ban it. Ofcom recently proposed a ban on the practice of inflation-linked mid-contract price rises, saying that they…
3 in 4 over 65s find language of broadband providers confusing
Almost three-quarters of over-65s (73%) believe that the language broadband providers use to describe deals is confusing, according to research by comparison site Broadband Genie Compared to other age groups, half of Gen-Z customers (50%) aged 16-24 also believe that broadband lingo could be clearer, while 56% of Millennials agreed, and called for more clarity.…
Broadband providers need to be clearer about ‘fibre’, says Ofcom
Ofcom is issuing new guidance to broadband providers to ensure consumers are given clear information about their service when signing up to a new deal. Under the guidance, broadband firms must now tell consumers about the network that underpins their broadband service and must only use terms that are clear and unambiguous. To date, the term…
Ofcom says mid-contract price rises need to be clearer
Mobile and broadband customers must be told upfront about any mobile price rises when signing a new contract, under new consumer protection plans set out today by Ofcom. With most major phone, broadband and pay TV companies now including mid-contract price rises linked to uncertain future inflation, Ofcom is concerned that customers’ contracts do not…
Improved rural connectivity could unlock £8.8bn for British manufacturers
Image: British Sugar Ahead of the CBI Industrial Trends survey and today's Autumn Statement where Jeremy Hunt is likely to reference £4.5 billion investment into British manufacturing, new research from Cebr for Virgin Media O2 finds that improved rural connectivity could increase turnover for rural manufacturing by over 7%. The analysis…