Virgin Media has announced an increase in the mid-contract price rise for both new and existing customers who renew their agreements. Starting from October 2, customers entering into new contracts or extending their current ones will experience a £4 monthly bill hike midway through their contract duration.
The revised price adjustment will take effect from April next year, surpassing the previous £3.50 mid-contract rise that current Virgin Media customers have agreed to. However, existing customers will not be subjected to the higher price increase as long as they remain within their current contract terms.
This alteration coincides with Virgin Media’s lineup refresh, which includes new offerings such as Netflix with ads as a standard feature on plans exceeding 500Mbps, and faster speeds bundled with TV packages.
A spokesperson from Virgin Media stated that customers opting for their latest packages, which include value-added features like Netflix on all TV bundles and Sky Sports in HD at no extra charge, will witness a £4 monthly increase each April.
Ernest Doku, a broadband expert from Uswitch, remarked on Virgin Media’s decision to elevate the fixed mid-contract price rise to £4 per month for new customers. This adjustment arrives less than a year after the initial annual increase was set at £3.50 per month. Commencing from October 2, new or re-contracting customers will be impacted by this rise in the upcoming April. With Virgin Media’s shift to 24-month minimum contracts earlier this year, prospective customers will face a double hit from this annual rise, amounting to an additional £8 per month on their original price by April 2027.
Doku advises that the price change only applies to new contract agreements, urging existing Virgin Media customers approaching renewal to weigh their alternatives.
The move by Virgin Media aligns with similar actions taken by BT, EE, and Plusnet, who have also raised their mid-contract price rise to £4 per month for new customers.
For customers out of contract, exploring better deals from other providers online is recommended. Assessing current broadband speeds and determining if downgrading could result in cost savings is also advisable.
If switching providers is not preferred, negotiating a lower bill with your existing provider through haggling might be worth considering. Timing negotiations closer to the end of the contract or following a price increase announcement is often more effective.
Penalty-free exits may be possible upon announcement of a mid-contract price rise, except when the increase was already outlined in the initial contract terms. Individuals receiving benefits should explore the option of signing up for a more affordable social tariff to save on costs.