We asked over 5,000 customers whose broadband, combined broadband and TV or mobile phone contract had recently ended whether they had switched or haggled, and how much they had saved on their bills in the process.
See how your provider ranks in our guide to theSwitch providers and save
A striking finding from our research is that switching providers really has emerged as a key way to save money - particularly for broadband and pay TV customers. On average, TV and broadband customers could save £160 per year by switching, however customers who departed Sky saved £235 a year on average.
The average broadband customer could save £105 per year by switching to a new provider, but higher than average savings were achieved by customers of several providers:
Virgin MediaBTSky'sThe average mobile customer saved slightly less by switching than by haggling though there was less of a marked difference than we found for broadband and pay TV - here substantial savings are available whether you switch or haggle. The average mobile customer could save £67 per year by switching, but this rose to:
O2.EEVodafone'sIn all three categories we looked at, the majority of customers who switched said they had found the process easy. The proportion was lowest for TV and broadband, probably because this is the most complex of the three with multiple elements to weigh up – but even in this instance, more than half said they had breezed through the process. Meanwhile, three-quarters of broadband, and almost as many mobile (73%) switchers said they had found it easy.
Ready to get started? Enter your postcode below to see how much you could save.Don't want to switch? Haggle
Not everyone will be enthusiastic about the prospect of changing provider, particularly if you have received excellent service, aren't sure about the alternatives available or don't see a depth of choice available in your area.
Haggling is still an excellent way to get a better deal, even if the savings may not be as compelling. Once again, our research shows that it's possible to make bigger than average savings with certain providers.
Sky Virgin MediaO2Vodafone EEKeep in mind those who haggle may end up paying the same amount (or possibly even a little more) with this still being a success. Haggling is an opportunity to discuss the elements of your deal and upgrade or downgrade if the package doesn't quite fit your needs.
Pricing clarity and easier switching arrive
Our research comes ahead of Ofcom’s ban on unpredictable, inflation-based mid-contract price hikes which comes into effect in January 2025. Which? led the campaign calling for an end to these practices and as a result telecoms customers will be able to more easily compare providers and have more certainty about future bills.
As an example of how contracts will change, BT’s March 2024 price increase for mobile and broadband contracts was 7.9%, based on the Consumer Price Inflation (CPI) rate of 4% + 3.9%.
For March 2025, it has instead confirmed that it will increase mobile Sim-only contracts by £1.50 a month, and broadband contracts by £3 a month.
Switching broadband providers will now be even easier for consumers after Ofcom’s One Touch Switch rules came into effect in September. This should mean consumers only ever have to contact their new broadband provider, not their current one as well, even if they are changing between different networks.
News, deals and stuff the manuals don't tell you.source https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/switching-can-slash-broadband-pay-tv-and-mobile-bills-aBhGe8k5CQNf