Hyperoptic drops no mid-contract price rise promise

Previously known as one of the most outspoken broadband providers against mid-contract price rises, Hyperoptic has dropped their promise.

In-contract prices for Hyperoptic broadband will now rise by £3 per month each year in April, akin to larger names like BT, TalkTalk, and Virgin Media.

It's a surprising move from the independent full fibre provider, who've previously advertised heavily against annual price rises, including on national TV.

Hyperoptic annual price rises

New customers signing up to Hyperoptic, as well as existing customers locking into a new contract, will now be subject to annual price rises in April of each year from 2026.

Hyperoptic broadband, as well as Hyperoptic broadband and phone plans, will now rise by £3 per month and customers won't be able to reject the rise as it will be specified in the contract.

BT, Plusnet, EE and TalkTalk, all now increase their prices by £3 per month each year, while Virgin Media broadband prices go up by £3.50 per month each year.

The change impacts all of Hyperoptic's broadband deals, with 24-month plans seeing two annual increases added to the contract, while the 12-month plans will see just the one.

Hyperoptic continue to offer rolling 30-day notice plans, although they've also recently removed the 12-month and 30-day contract options on their budget 30Mbps 'Light' and 50Mbps 'Fast' packages.

Initial prices for new customers have also recently been updated, with broadband only and broadband and phone plans on both 24-month and 12-month contract options increasing marginally, while the monthly rolling plans have become cheaper, including by as much as £19 per month less.

Advertising

Hyperoptic are well known for previously having offered no mid-contract price hikes, running heavy advertising campaigns against the practice.

In March 2023, the provider released a survey which found almost 24% of broadband customers were unaware of impending price hikes, and as many as three quarters were unsure of how much it would be.

Indeed, the survey went on to find as many as 90% of respondents believed mid-contract price rises should be banned.

At the time, Hyperoptic's Chief Customer Officer, Lutfu Kitapci, said, "Price is a hugely important part of the decision-making process for people buying broadband, so to find out you're being hit with a 15% increase just weeks after signing the paperwork is worrying and unfair.

"Two thirds of people are now stuck in long contracts that they're regretting signing up to, and they have no option but to face the price hike or fork out hundreds of pounds in exit fees. That's not right.

"Hyperoptic has never hiked prices mid-contract. And we are continually campaigning at the highest levels to get this unfair practice changed - if a provider chooses to hit its customers with a mid-contract price rise, then those customers should be free to switch."

Mid-contract price hikes

Despite campaigning from Hyperoptic and consumer groups, including Choose, Ofcom only ruled to ban inflation-linked mid-contract price hikes, and said they must be presented in pounds and pence instead.

These new rules came into effect in January 2025 and all broadband and mobile providers must now display any in-contract price rises by actual amount only.

Yet, while more transparent, there are still question marks over whether or not the move has benefited consumers. With inflation having now dropped to 2-3%, in early 2025, consumers on older CPI-based price rises saw smaller increases than those on newer pounds and pence-based plans.

In any case, it's hard not to think Hyperoptic are back-pedalling on their position ever-so-slightly with their introduction of a £3 per month annual price rise policy.