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Virgin Media customers to face rising bills in the new year Virgin Media customers to face rising bills in the new year
(35 minutes later)
Bills for some Virgin Media customers are to rise by £3.99 a month from February, as the company puts up the prices of its broadband and phone packages following its annual review.Bills for some Virgin Media customers are to rise by £3.99 a month from February, as the company puts up the prices of its broadband and phone packages following its annual review.
The telecoms provider is the latest to announce forthcoming price hikes, with the changes taking effect from 1 February. The telecoms provider is the latest to announce price hikes, with the changes taking effect from 1 February. It it writing to subscribers who take its bundles of services to inform them that the majority face an increase of between £3.49 and £3.99 a month from next year, including a £1 line rental increase. This means that, on average, customers’ bills will rise by 5.4% from February 2016.
It it writing to subscribers who take its bundles of services to inform them that the majority face an increase of between £3.49 and £3.99 a month from next year, including a £1 line rental increase. This means that, on average, customers’ bills will rise by 5.4% from February 2016.
However, the letter makes clear that customers will be entitled to exit their contracts without penalty.However, the letter makes clear that customers will be entitled to exit their contracts without penalty.
The company said it is currently boosting customers’ download speeds for the third time since 2012, with speeds of up to 200mbps now available. The company said it was currently boosting customers’ download speeds for the third time since 2012, with speeds of up to 200mbps now available.
Prices for customers on its Big Bundles are increasing, with Big Connection and Big Easy rising by £3.49, and all other Big Bundles (Big Bang, Big Kahuna, Big Daddy) increasing by £3.99, including the £1 line rental increase. Customers on other bundles and packages will increase between £1 and £3.99, including the £1 line rental increase. Prices for customers on its Big Bundles are increasing, with Big Connection and Big Easy rising by £3.49 and all other Big Bundles (Big Bang, Big Kahuna, Big Daddy) increasing by £3.99, including the £1 line rental increase. Customers on other bundles and packages will increase between £1 and £3.99, including the £1 line rental increase.
Broadband-only customers whose prices changed on 1 November, however, are unaffected by the new pricing structures. Broadband-only customers whose prices changed on 1 Novemberare unaffected by the new pricing structures.
Related: Virgin Media warned over 'misleading' price claimsRelated: Virgin Media warned over 'misleading' price claims
Gregor McNeil, managing director Virgin Media Consumer, said: “We are doing everything we can to keep prices as competitive as possible. Through the continuing investment in our network we are again upgrading our customers’ broadband speeds and providing unlimited downloads – meeting the growth in data consumption we see. Our customers want to do more online, so we are always making sure that our customers get more for the prices they pay.” Gregor McNeil, managing director of Virgin Media Consumer, said: “We are doing everything we can to keep prices as competitive as possible. Through the continuing investment in our network we are again upgrading our customers’ broadband speeds and providing unlimited downloads – meeting the growth in data consumption we see. Our customers want to do more online, so we are always making sure that our customers get more for the prices they pay.”
Last month the troubled operator TalkTalk, which supplies 4m homes across the UK, became the latest supplier to push through a second large price increase in a matter of months. Its landline charge rose to £17.70 a month from £16.70, while its Simply broadband package increased from £5 to £7.50 a month – just four months after it last increased that tariff. Meanwhile BT, Sky and Plusnet (part of BT) have all put up their charges by between 6% and 10% on top of previous big increases. Last month, the troubled operator TalkTalk, which supplies 4m homes across the UK, became the latest supplier to push through a second large price increase in a matter of months. Its landline charge rose to £17.70 a month from £16.70, while its Simply Broadband package increased from £5 to £7.50 a month – just four months after it previously increased that tariff. BT, Sky and Plusnet (part of BT) have all put up their charges by between 6% and 10% on top of previous big increases.
Next year Virgin will introduce Virgin Media WiFi, delivering home Wi-Fi through a brand new app which will allow customers to automatically connect to Virgin Media WiFi hotspot. It has recently joined forces with Chiltern district council in the UK’s first high street pilot with superfast Wi-Fi using Virgin Media’s street cabinets and the first “smart pavement”. Virgin will introduce Virgin Media WiFi next year, delivering home Wi-Fi through a brand new app which will allow customers to automatically connect to Virgin Media WiFi hotspots. It has recently joined forces with Chiltern district council in the UK’s first high street pilot with superfast Wi-Fi using Virgin Media’s street cabinets and the first “smart pavement”.