Home
 » ISP News » 
Sponsored Links

Virgin Media UK Confirm Price Hikes for Broadband, TV and Phone

Thursday, Jan 26th, 2023 (9:40 am) - Score 47,168
Virgin-Media-O2-Office-Building-Logo

Customers of UK ISP Virgin Media (VMO2) – specifically those that take their fixed line broadband, phone and pay TV services – are today being informed about the operator’s annual price hikes, which “on average” are set to increase by 13.8% on either 1st April or 1st May 2023 (price changes will vary according to your package).

The change shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise because we already warned about it (here), although it’s worth noting that Virgin Media’s fixed line hikes don’t follow the same inflation linked terms as many of their closest rivals. As a result of that, customers impacted by this hike should be able to use Ofcom’s mid-contracts rules to exit their contract penalty free, if they so desire (you must do this within 30 days of receiving the notification).

NOTE: Vulnerable customers will not see their prices change in 2023, including those on their ‘Essential Broadband‘ social tariff(s) and ‘Talk Protected‘ landline customers.

However, much as we leaked last month (here), the operator has today revealed that they will also be informing all customers that “we’re making a change to their T&Cs which introduces an annual inflation linked price rise based on the Retail Price Index +3.9%. This will come into effect from April 2024 and is then effective from April each year.” So you won’t be able to exit penalty free when next year’s hikes are unveiled.

The other frustration with the new approach is that RPI tends to be much higher than the CPI value that most of Virgin Media’s rivals use, although it’s expected to fall quite a bit by this time next year (possibly reaching 1.5% in 2024 – estimated). But right now, RPI is a staggering 13.4% and the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rate of inflation is 10.5%, and many unknowns remain in how it might be impacted.

A Virgin Media spokesperson said:

“We know that price rises are never welcome, particularly right now, but like many other businesses we are experiencing significantly increased costs while investing to keep pace with growing demand, as broadband usage rose more than 10% last year and speeds increased by 40%. We’re committed to supporting customers in this tough climate and are freezing prices for vulnerable customers including those taking our social broadband tariffs.

The introduction of inflation-linked price changes, which comes into effect in 2024 when RPI is projected to be at around 1.5%, will give customers clarity and certainty about what to expect from their bills while fuelling the investment required both now and in future. We will be clearly communicating these changes directly to our customers over the coming weeks.”

Despite this, it is important to point out that broadband providers are not immune to some of the same cost increases as are currently impacting the rest of us. Most ISPs are suffering under the burden of rising supplier and lease costs, as well as energy prices and the ever-rising levels of consumer demand for data (Virgin says total data use on their network increased by more than 10% in 2022 vs 2021, and speeds increased more than 40%).

Internet providers are also frequently adding all sorts of new services (e.g. Virgin’s XGS-PON upgrade and FTTP rollout), developing new systems, adopting new networks and implementing costly new Ofcom rules, which means that price hikes, especially in a market of extremely high inflation, are tricky to avoid. But if you really want to fight against this, then vote with your feet and switch, if you can (note: many smaller providers and full fibre altnets aren’t playing the price hikes game and are instead competing aggressively with lower prices).

Alternatively, customers affected by this could try haggling for a lower price when the notification drops (Retentions – Tips for Cutting Your Broadband Bill), although your mileage may vary. Meanwhile, those on benefits (Universal Credit etc.) may also have the option of taking a cheaper Social Tariff – see our article: A Quick Guide to UK Social Tariffs – Getting Broadband for £15.

Sadly, all of these hikes are occurring even after Ofcom warned UK telecoms providers to “consider whether large price rises can be justified at time of exceptional financial hardship” (here). The regulator is, however, currently taking a look at this area and, at the same time, the ASA (advertising watchdog) are considering new guidance that could require information about mid-contract prices hikes to be made much clearer (here).

Share with Twitter
Share with Linkedin
Share with Facebook
Share with Reddit
Share with Pinterest
Mark-Jackson
By Mark Jackson
Mark is a professional technology writer, IT consultant and computer engineer from Dorset (England), he also founded ISPreview in 1999 and enjoys analysing the latest telecoms and broadband developments. Find me on X (Twitter), Mastodon, Facebook and .
Search ISP News
Search ISP Listings
Search ISP Reviews
Comments
50 Responses
  1. Avatar photo anonymous says:

    Get ready to:

    1. Use OFCOM clause to exit contract without penalty as above inflation increase (BB/TV) and contract does not use the increase clause that BT do. Get the cheapest other BB service you can find acceptable, rejoin 3 months or more later and get new customer prices and perks. It’s 3 months of being an ex-customer to be classed as a new customer when rejoining (VM retentions told me).
    2. Ring retentions and ask to cancel increase or if they won’t, use point 1 above
    3. Ring retentions quoting point 1 and ask to lower you BB speed and/or TV package to reduce your monthly cost.

    1. Avatar photo tech3475 says:

      Is this notification via email and/or post?

    2. Avatar photo Let me go says:

      how can we exit the best/easiest way? because I’ve tried to leave and been stuck in 40 min phone calls where they won’t actually let you leave. I keep saying to them no deals, no upgrades, no downgrades I want to leave please carry out my wishes only to get “yes sir but what about this deal, what about that deal, your future ISP can’t guarantee this and that blah blah blah” and I end up having to just hang up because I can’t sit on the phone all day. Similar thing happened when I tried to quit on whatsapp, every time I kept saying no to every deal or suggestion and just let me quit, but they keep asking about some other deal. and who am i going to and they’ll do this and that. I just want to quit.

    3. Avatar photo anonymous says:

      You give notice. You then have 30 days to ring back and cancel the cancel.

      If your marketing options are enabled in My Virgin media, you *may* get a ring back from special retentions team within usually 72 hours to the number registered on the account. I say *may* as its their discretion but usually this happens.

      They have more power, and they may offer a better price if people are realistic about what’s a fair price to keep you and make you recontract, than expect their services for £10-£20 which is unrealistic, especially in areas where little competition on similar broadband speeds for example!

    4. Avatar photo Dave Mc says:

      @Let me go
      That’s absolutely disgusting if they are doing that, I wonder if writing a letter sent by recorded mail clearly stating a date you want your services to end on (keeping in mind the 30 days notice you must give) and to send you the final bill would work

    5. Avatar photo anonymous says:

      Poster doesn’t say if they went standard Cust Services or retentions. If you ring the VM number and select the Leaving Virgin option rather than Customer Services.

      They can’t refuse you leaving if our of contract, and if in contract, you can leave as per OfCom mid-contract rules.

      community.virginmedia.com has UK staff to answer questions and they can deal with refusals to leave. They aren’t an instant answering service though and can take 48 hours or more to get back.

    6. Avatar photo Let me go says:

      The first time, I called the number and selected the “thinking of leaving us” one. I got put through to a chap with an Indian accent not sure if he was UK based or India based but anyway I clearly stated I want to leave. This was after contract had expired and was on rolling month-by-month basis. He kept asking me where I’m going to and that VM would make me a better offer. I said no. I want to quit. He would say but sir, Virgin Media guarantees the speed and that no other UK ISP can guarantee the speed you get and that if I get 100 megabit with ISP x or y then I might not actually get 100 megabit but VM I will get it. Said not interested I want to leave, please carry out my wishes. Then he asks how much is the new ISP charging, and that he can do me a much better deal for £18 a month for 125mbit etc. Said no , want to leave etc. He just kept going on and on and on.

      Second time I tried via whatsapp. Almost exactly the same spiel. VM guarantee speed, other ISPs don’t. They can reduce it. They have this or that special offer. Kept saying no, even said final time I’m saying this I want to leave, please carry out my wishes, don’t want to hear about any deal or any amazing offer etc I want to terminate the service. Guy wouldn’t accept it, kept going on and on about deals.

      I wish I had screenshotted the whatsapp conversation as it now seems to have disappeared from my whatsapp. Honestly I’m disgusted in them. I complained about it and said I felt like I was forced to stay and that they wouldn’t let me leave and just kept blabbing on about deals and where I was going to and how they were better than whoever I would be going to. 2 days later they wrote back that they were “pleased to resolve your complaint”. They resolved nothing. Didn’t even try. I should have gone to ofcom about it.

    7. Avatar photo Rich says:

      You don’t even need a break, me and wife used to every year like clockwork cancel vm in my name, set her up as a new customer for the day after, and then back to my name the next year, etc.

  2. Avatar photo anonymous says:

    That varies.

    Sometimes I have had both mail and email, other times just email.

  3. Avatar photo AzzA says:

    From my understanding with virgin media you’re free to leave when they do the annual price increase. With the switch to RPI + 3.9% will that option still be available ?

    1. Avatar photo anonymous says:

      No, that’s covered in the main news article. From 2024.

    2. Avatar photo Dave Mc says:

      Purely depends what’s written in your contract, my understanding is they are going to add the CPI + 3.9% to new contracts, if you then agree to that then you cannot leave when they increase it then

    3. Avatar photo anonymous says:

      They can change T&C’s by giving enough notice and an exit without penalty capbility.

  4. Avatar photo Ali Ahmed says:

    If mid contract price rises are going to become common practice, then what is even the point in signing up for long term contracts?? There is absolutely no benefit to the customers in signing up for 24 months, which is the duration most providers are now moving to. If this is going to become the norm, then Ofcom really needs to limit the contract term to 12 months only! Imagine signing up to BT in Jan 2021 and then getting a 13% increase followed by a 14% increase during your contract term! a £36 starting price would now be over £46 and there is nothing that can be done to change that till the contract ends

    1. Avatar photo Neil says:

      mid contract? mine happened barely 2 months into the new contract last year. if your contract is up in say march and you agree a new deal to avoid the out of contract price hike (as your deal was discounted), then in April you get notified of the increase and it hits your may bill. it’s only if you take up a new contract in June do you avoid this.
      if they’re going to put prices up, i’d rather it was on the anniversary of your contract, then everyone is treating the same.

  5. Avatar photo Mark says:

    Virgin medias problems are too long to list, even trying to get them in the first place, its only when the alternate companies such as gigaclear arrive and offer you a fantastic service, that you then start being pestered by virgin, who werent interested in my road before saying its too small in their interests to bring their services, but gigaclear done every house on my estate no problem since then we,ve had calls about switching to virgin, yet each time they do call i remind them that at the time when we needed it you were not interested, having to wait for over 2 years for broadband is bad enough but virgin refused us so many times, even in writing virgin said that the road because it only contained 5 houses was not viable for their network porpuse.
    And yet gigaclear comes in one week and the whole estate not just my road. So i think virgin are being cheeky or insulting, either way were sticking to what we have as were happy. Like so many others on my estate we understand the issue of ignorance. So virgin can put up its prices as much as it likes, and we use our own ignorance ourselves.
    Mark.

  6. Avatar photo anonymous says:

    Unfortunately, when ALTNETS fail, BT or VM (possibly ComCast) will be the ones that will buy them up and convert everything to their own ways…..

    1. Avatar photo Ad47uk says:

      I doubt Bt would be allowed to buy any up? Virgin Media may also have the same problem, not sure about Comcast don’t they now own Sky? they might i suppose if they want to get into the UK alt network market.

      If I went for an Altnet, only one here, but if I went for it, my worry is that they will fail and Talk Talk would buy it up. I would leave at once.

      As for the price rises, while we don’t like them, and we do try and get a good deal, which is normal, I can understand why they have to rise the way energy and other costs are rising for businesses. No escaping it if in a contract, I am lucky that my contract ends a couple of months if that after the price rises for my provider. But I have just over 5 months to make up my mind what I want to do.

  7. Avatar photo Tech3475 says:

    @Ad47uk

    “ As for the price rises, while we don’t like them, and we do try and get a good deal, which is normal, I can understand why they have to rise the way energy and other costs are rising for businesses..”

    My problem with this argument in general is that new customer prices are still relatively low and they also have promotions mere months before the prices are due to rise. The VM package my parents is on is actually cheaper on their website as of posting than when they signed up.

    Just yesterday EE offered me 30% off a new contract, but in a couple of months that price would increase (of course I’ll re-enquire in April).

    1. Avatar photo Ad47uk says:

      This sort of thing have been happening for years when they offer new customers a deal, just a way of getting new customers, I agree it is stupid as I thought keeping customers cost less than getting new ones. As I said on my post, my contract ends in June, Plusnet are putting up their prices in March, I presume the end of March, they have got some deals on their website if I want to recontract now and a few weeks ago I did think about it, one reason was because Openreach is doing FTTP in the city and I don’t want to be forced onto it with a stop sell thing. But finding out more info, it will not affect me as I am on a 36Mb/s connection. So now I have decided to wait until at least the end of March and see what plusnet can do for me.

      We will see what happens in March and what they can offer me.

  8. Avatar photo Ryan says:

    I’ve had an email. Mine is going up £21.50 and they are refusing to review my package until at least April

    1. Avatar photo Tech3475 says:

      It’s a trap! you’ll be out of the 30 day window.

      Was this chat with disconnections or general customer services?

    2. Avatar photo Andy says:

      Wow that is really dirty of them

    3. Avatar photo Alex Colston says:

      Have you already had notice of the increase as the notice will give you a date you can leave by, try to leave before the letter/email is received and you could have problems.

  9. Avatar photo Andrew says:

    I am glad I went with Youfibre, way quicker upload speeds, slightly slower download but most of my devices are capped by a 1gig port and £34 with no in contact price rises.

    I just don’t understand why people signed up to virgin on the street when both where made within a week’s.

    Virgin waited years to come here and only decided to once Youfibre turned up.

    1. Avatar photo Aevio says:

      would be nice if you got 1 gig on their 1 gig service, but i guess the enormous upload speed more than makes up for it. But people on VM 1 gig get like 1100+ and a 2.5G port. Youfibre give you some crappy adtran ONT that only has a 1 gig connector in it and then you end up getting something like 920 megabit. Oh and, it would be nice if netomnia/youfibre actually kept to their build dates. 6 months overdue at this point for me.

    2. Avatar photo haha says:

      “But people on VM 1 gig get like 1100+ and a 2.5G port.”

      And I get 941 down and up on a leased line – annoys me that does I have 2.5G too I always thought I would get more

  10. Avatar photo Rich Branston says:

    Openreach are due to install and make available fibre in my area in the next 12 months so I’ll be moving on from Virgin’s IPv4-only, bufferbloat latency crippling service.

  11. Avatar photo Matt says:

    Again I already pay the top I have hevey discount think the package is meant to be like 130 pound month but got it down to 77 u need to haggel when contract comeing to end but its going up again ffs everything is getting way out of hand in the UK

    1. Avatar photo Ad47uk says:

      That is a lot of money, I presume you get sport channels as well for that price? For the fun of it, I did a thing on Sky’s website as if I was going to buy their service, for 36Mb/s broadband FTTC, Sky Entertainment channels, Sky sport, sky cinema it would cost me £103 a month. Then there is another £5 a month for ad skip[ping and £6 for UltraHD and Dolby atmos. Don’t forget the setup fee of £39. People pay this amount of money just to watch TV stuff? I thought people had no money these days.

  12. Avatar photo Nate says:

    I was meant to have my broadband connected this week but VM forgot to install cable from the cabinet to my property so it’s been delayed two weeks. I signed up to a 1 gig Volt package which is £40 (made-up of £15 for broadband and £25 for O2 unlimited SIM). I was aware that O2 does inflationary increases which is annoying given that I’ve only just connected and that the SIM contract makes up £25 of the £40 monthly charge. My contract explicitly states the fixed price until July 2024 but I suspect all our our contracts state this at the moment.

    The T&Cs say that I can leave both contracts if O2 increases prices above inflation or VM increase their prices providing both contracts taken out at same time. My contracts were processed a few days apart as some changes made so it might not apply to me. However, I have 14 days to cancel the O2 sim and will have time to cancel the broadband contract before install or within 14 days.

    I would be happy to leave the O2 contract as only got it as it was £5 cheaper than getting broadband alone at the time – but I doubt I’ll get to keep broadband for £15 plus inflation! I’m going to test the O2 network on my commute to see if it works for me and make a decision whether to cancel one or both while I can.

    1. Avatar photo Adeag says:

      If it is a new O2 contract then you have agreed to RPI+3.9% they have been doing those for a while so you can’t leave unless they increase it above that figure. Virgin terms are different and currently you can leave when they increase it.

  13. Avatar photo GreenLantern22 says:

    So many things wrong with this. Firstly the obvious, RPI instread of CPI? Clearly just to make more profit. Then to the actual number (RPI + 3.9%). Why does it have to be a fixed amount? Sure VM’s costs may go up but surely not by a fixed amount and certainly not one matching that percentage. Why can’t they be transparent and use the actual increase in their costs? Finally the scam completes by the fact that new contracts stay at the old price. So is VM taking an even bigger loss on new contracts? Certainly not. Currently the VM Ultimate Volt bundle is on offer at £79 and has been priced like that for months or even years. I have been looking at this plan over time to see how it changes so I know what a good price is. And hte prices not only have they got higher over time but have clearly got cheaper! So either VM is losing money on new customer or they scamming existing customers.
    Top VM plan (Ultimate Oomph bundle now called Ultimate Volt) prices:
    28-Sep-2019 = £ 99.00
    10-Mar-2020 = £ 99.00
    24-Oct-2020 = £ 89.00
    28-Jan-2021 = £ 79.00
    05-Mar-2021 = £ 79.00
    31-Mar-2022 = £ 85.00
    26-Jan-2023 = £ 79.00
    RPI 2019 = 3.3% + 3.9% = 7.2%
    RPI 2020 = 2.1% + 3.9% = 6.0%
    RPI 2021 = 2.9% + 3.9% = 6.8%
    RPI 2022 = 14% + 3.9% = 17.9%
    At April of 2022 the cumulative price increase would mean the £ 99 plan should cost £ 120 and on April 2023 £141. Yet the current price is £79 which is 20% cheaper. We are being ripped off clearly!

  14. Avatar photo Miss Michelle Thomas says:

    Virgin do not help the vulnerable I am a pensioner and only have TV its terrible how they treat us they should help those people who only have TV for company they make millions in profits so start giving back

    1. Avatar photo Paul says:

      I am also a pensioner, live on my own and only have such a basic tv package with Virgin, that I do not pay for the tv. It is pretty much Freeview with one extra channel. So I hardly ever switch their box on.
      I do use their broadband though.

  15. Avatar photo Lucke says:

    Total waste of space Virgin media is. Bt much better

    1. Avatar photo anonymous says:

      BT much better HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
      Its not even April 1st yet!

  16. Avatar photo Steve Jegat says:

    So I gave notice to Virgin Media 09/08/22 on the 08/09/22 I paid up to date new provider and new box VM send email that equipment will be collected 16/12/22 and send a bill for October 22 I left in 08/09/22 I gave 30 days notice for them to switch off the service they do it if you don’t pay the bill many emails later they have given the bill to BPO COLLECTIONS
    They didn’t collect the equipment on 16/12/22 by the way and they also sent an email at 08.36am 19/01/23 saying Chris was collecting it no time or notice given and still equipment is here
    I have lost 2 days pay £90 each making it £180 plus I have stored the equipment since 08/09/22
    VM still say I owe October 22 bill of £59.26 that I wasn’t a customer
    I do think Trading Standards or Which? should look how VM operate absolutely shocking because they are a big company they think they can bully ex customers by scaring them in involving debt collectors
    Always keep evidence of emails and screenshot WhatsApp messages because they alternate chat to confuse things

    1. Avatar photo Jeffy says:

      This is why vm needs to be split up in a way similar to how cityfibre operates also fined a few billion with the proceeds going to upgrades and significant discounts for existing customers.

  17. Avatar photo Adeag says:

    The government should clamp down on these terms they are way too inflationary by increasing more than inflation. If they wish to have these terms they should only be allowed to offer 12 month contracts.

    Companies of this size should be taking the inflation risk not the consumer.

  18. Avatar photo Pepstar says:

    I think many of you are just not very good at Haggling with Virgin Media to be honest 😉 . Virgin are strange, I seem to be able to adjust my price easily mid contract as long as extend my term, which I am happy to do as their broadband service is reliable and fast for me.

    My contract history..

    Dec 2018 – 50mbps – £23
    May 2019 – 100mbps – £30
    Aug 2019 – 100mbps – £25
    Aug 2020 – 100mbos – £25
    Dec 2021 – 350mbps – £30
    Jan 2023 – 250mbps – £21

    I never pay more than £30 for broadband and because I have just renegotiated this month I have it in writing that I’m excluded from the 2023 price rise.

    As a company I just use whatsapp for communication now and it works fine, it is my recommended route to deal with them these days.

  19. Avatar photo Alastair Martin says:

    If having trouble leaving despite contract at an end or price increase

    Tell them you are moving abroad in a couple of weeks and their services are nor available

  20. Avatar photo MilesT says:

    I think the picture should say “Overcharging the UK” not “Supercharging the UK”

  21. Avatar photo Darren says:

    Hopefully I can get out of my mid contract. Always wanted BT but area was never wired… 2 months after signing up a new contract with VM I get a email from Openreach full fibre is at my postcode

  22. Avatar photo Ray farrelly says:

    Someone has to pay for all the space stuff . Along with the greed of these big companies

  23. Avatar photo Graham Coleman says:

    Numerous problems over 7 years with VM Broadband & media, ongoing problems, engineers come & go then problems arise again, finally cancelled B4 Christmas, until they settle compensation I will not release equipment they stat they have me emails, then realise they were not sent as a communication organisation they are awful so I email their CEO telling him what a bunch of idiots they are.They are also LIARS and call centre staff can be offensive

  24. Avatar photo Tommy Johnsom says:

    Don’t worry virgin the brits will happy to accept this and work a few extra shifts or obtain a second job to pay these prices wake up we are getting ripped off just like the energy prices people in France already out protesting about the pension retirement age……

  25. Avatar photo haha says:

    Also worth noting they are now doing a 54mbps and TV via puck thing for £20 a month on their social tariffs.

  26. Avatar photo Josh says:

    Wow just had my email on this. Currently paying £48.37pm with some hefty discounts, only renewed the contract end of September 2022 just gone! I’m 4 months in. They are increasing it by £21.50pm, thats 44%+ !!

    I rang them and asked if that’s before my existing discounts, apparently they calculate rises on the base price – yet my discounts are not scaled with it. So it truly is a 44% increase.

    How can this be legal? I’m 4 months into a 18 month contract, which was literally agreed by their Retentions team to keep me as a customer.

    1. Avatar photo GreenLantern22 says:

      Put the cancelation request. Wait for the Retentions team to call 48hs later. You should get the same deal you had or better.

Comments are closed

Cheap BIG ISPs for 100Mbps+
Community Fibre UK ISP Logo
150Mbps
Gift: None
Virgin Media UK ISP Logo
Virgin Media £24.00
132Mbps
Gift: None
Shell Energy UK ISP Logo
Shell Energy £26.99
109Mbps
Gift: None
Plusnet UK ISP Logo
Plusnet £27.99
145Mbps
Gift: None
Zen Internet UK ISP Logo
Zen Internet £28.00 - 35.00
100Mbps
Gift: None
Large Availability | View All
Cheapest ISPs for 100Mbps+
Gigaclear UK ISP Logo
Gigaclear £15.00
150Mbps
Gift: None
YouFibre UK ISP Logo
YouFibre £19.99
150Mbps
Gift: None
Community Fibre UK ISP Logo
150Mbps
Gift: None
BeFibre UK ISP Logo
BeFibre £21.00
150Mbps
Gift: £25 Love2Shop Card
Hey! Broadband UK ISP Logo
150Mbps
Gift: None
Large Availability | View All
The Top 15 Category Tags
  1. FTTP (5473)
  2. BT (3505)
  3. Politics (2525)
  4. Openreach (2291)
  5. Business (2251)
  6. Building Digital UK (2234)
  7. FTTC (2041)
  8. Mobile Broadband (1961)
  9. Statistics (1780)
  10. 4G (1654)
  11. Virgin Media (1608)
  12. Ofcom Regulation (1451)
  13. Fibre Optic (1392)
  14. Wireless Internet (1386)
  15. FTTH (1381)

Helpful ISP Guides and Tips

Promotion
Sponsored

Copyright © 1999 to Present - ISPreview.co.uk - All Rights Reserved - Terms , Privacy and Cookie Policy , Links , Website Rules , Contact
Mastodon