VM officially has the highest in-contract price increase in 2025 of all of the big players at a painfully high £3.50 per month.
Let's also remember that VM also had the highest in-contract price increase up to now as it chose to hammer its long suffering customers with the higher RPI measure of inflation rather than the lower CPI measure that all of its peers used.
Greetings Cardiffman282, I've not spoken to you since you gave me all that support when I first "joined" VM (https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Managing-Your-Account-Cable/Hmm-have-I-made-a-mistake/td-p/5385989)
Since the middle of November 2024 I've been receiving reminders that my contract ends "soon" - actually April 2nd 2025 - and I can recontract for £x straightaway. With the accounts problem I'm currently having with VM since June 2024 I don't think I'll bother unless this overcharging can be sorted before April 2024. HOWEVER ...
... I have been looking at the price they've offered and it is a good price but they still have the RPI+3.9% price increase for April linked to it. I've been checking up on this and, as you state above, VM are talking about a £3.50 increase in April. Confused? I was!!!
It seems that the new rules don't apply to people already in contract so the RPI+%age increase still applies to them. After January 17th 2025 the "new" system applies for all new contracts.
So obviously that's why they're tempting me with a lowish monthly cost if I re-contract NOW.
I have no intention of doing anything until after 17th January 2025 as I assume most other suppliers will be in the same boat. It'll be interesting to se what VM offers me after that date, and there is some confusion on my part as to whether it's £3.50 per service (TV, Landline Phone, Broadband) or per contract. Further investigation is required on that front.
Of course, I could have completely misunderstood the whole thing 😱.
AndyW
The new rules don't come into force until 17 January 2025 .quote
Hello again. Good point regarding 17 January. I understand that the new £3.50 rise will be a flat rate regardless of how big your VM package is (and is therefore a lot more regressive for those on small broadband only packages).
Hi Cardiffman. You know those those TV adverts advertising the Virgin award-winning service. Is the award for the biggest price rise, or for something else? I asked them on the phone what the award was for, but they couldn't tell me.
Hello. I think it's for this https://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2024/12/opensignal-2024-study-ranks-uk-broadband-isps-by-quality-and-speed.html but you will see in the article there are lots of caveats.
At the moment, the old rpi plus 3.9% works out cheaper for people on non expensive packages than the new flat rate of £3.50.
The RPI is published 19th Feb 2025 and that's the RPI VM will use.
The one published in Dec was 3.6% so 3.6 + 3.9 = 7.5%. so to nearly match the flat rate of £3.50, you would need to have a package price of £46.60. if your package is over this, it starts to be cheaper on the new £3.50 flat rate rather than ROI + 3.9%.
Of course this is based on last published RPI and the one in Feb could go up or down or remain the same.
This new pounds/shillings/pence regime is now live https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-and-broadband/bills-and-charges/protecting-consumers-from-uncertain-and-volatile-inflation/
