EE, BT and Plusnet announce price hike

Major internet providers have increased their mid-contract price rises for new customers from today. New BT and EE customers who sign up for broadband from Thursday, July 31, will see their monthly price rise by £4 mid-way through their contract.

The previous mid-contract price rise was £3 a month, but the new higher increase will come into effect on March 31 next year, and again on the same date in 2027. Meanwhile, Plusnet customers will also be subject to a mid-contract price rise of £4 a month from August 5. EE, BT, and Plusnet mobile customers will also be hit with higher mid-contract price rises.

Sim-only or Flex Pay customers will see their contract price rise by £2.50 a month from April, while bundled handset and airtime plan customers will face a £4 rise.

Consumer champion Which? branded the increase "shocking", as the director of policy and advocacy, Rocio Concha, advised customers to check their deals.

Concha said: "It's shocking that BT is choosing to increase its mid-contract price rises above the rate of inflation for any new customers who sign up for broadband packages from BT, EE, or Plusnet from 31st July.

"Any out-of-contract BT, EE, and Plusnet customers who aren't happy with these hikes should vote with their feet and switch to a cheaper deal.

"We'd always recommend carefully weighing up the total costs of any new contract to ensure it offers value for money and you're aware of any possible increases."

A BT consumer spokesman said: "We are very supportive of Ofcom's requirement to show upfront pounds and pence charges.
EE was the first provider to introduce this pricing model, offering EE customers a predictable long-term view of their contract terms. Our pricing approach is designed to be clear for our customers.

"We continue to invest in our business, building on 11 years as the best network to better serve our customers with a reliable and quality connection as we roll out the fastest speed technology to 30 million homes by the end of the decade.

"We're focused on providing value and customer satisfaction, making new technologies available to our customers such as 5G standalone and WiFi 7."

Ernest Doku, telecoms spokesman at Uswitch.com, slammed the move as "another pounding for consumers' wallets", with fears it would set a trend among other providers.

They added: "BT's price updates have often set a precedent for other providers to follow suit. If this trend continues, the telecoms industry runs the risk of creating its own, accelerated rate of inflation.

"Based on our research, where the average BT customer pays £31.50, EE customer £29.20 and Plusnet customer £25.80 for home broadband, this represents a staggering rise of between 12.6% and 15.5% - significantly higher than current inflation of 3.6%.

"From July 31, EE Sim-only and Flex Pay airtime mobile customers signing up for new deals will see a £2.50 monthly increase applied in March 2025. For those taking out EE's cheapest £18 per month Sim-only plan, this is the equivalent of a notable 13.8% hike.

"This change only applies to customers taking out new contracts, so if you are currently a BT, Plusnet, or EE customer and your plan is up for renewal before March 2026, you should shop around for other options.

"Many regional broadband providers, such as YouFibre and Trooli, and mobile providers, including Lebara and Smarty, don't raise prices mid-contract."