While many of the UK’s biggest ISP’s now add broadband price rises annually increasing customer bills, Quickline does not impose mid-contract price rises.
The provider says its approach is based on a simple principle: households should be able to budget for their broadband without expecting the price to creep up each year.
It comes after comparison service Uswitch calculated that a £4 monthly increase on the average UK broadband bill of £35.90 represents an 11.1% rise.
Its research also found almost a quarter (24%) of broadband customers would find a £4 monthly increase unmanageable, while consumers said they would tolerate an average increase of just £2.70 before considering cancelling or switching provider.
And for customers who don’t switch, annual increases can quickly stack up.
For example, a household starting on a £30-a-month broadband tariff which increased by £4 each April would see the monthly cost rise to £34 after the first increase, £38 after the second and eventually £50 following five annual increases.
That’s £20 a month more than the price they originally signed up for – and, if each increased rate applied for a full 12 months, the five increases could add £720 to their broadband costs compared with continuing to pay £30 a month.*
Quickline takes aim at annual broadband price rises
Ben O’Leary, Head of Product and Proposition at Quickline, said: “When someone signs a contract with us, we think it should be straightforward: we charge them the amount we agreed.
“A few pounds extra each month might not sound huge in isolation, but when another increase is added the following year, and then another after that, customers can quickly find themselves paying much more than the price they originally signed up for.
“And the reality is that most people don’t switch. Ofcom found only 18% of fixed broadband customers switched provider in the past year – so more than four in five stayed put. That means those annual increases can really start to add up.
“We don’t think that’s fair. Households have enough increasing costs to think about without having to factor annual increases into their broadband bill too.
“For us, fair pricing means predictable pricing. The price you sign up for with Quickline is the price you pay for your contract term. Simple as that.”
At the same time, the UK’s full fibre network is growing much faster than take-up.
Ofcom reported that full fibre was available to 82% of UK homes by January 2026, but just 47% of premises where full fibre was available had taken up a service.
Quickline says that makes removing the barriers to switching increasingly important.
That thinking is behind its October ‘It’s Switching Hour’ campaign, encouraging households to check whether better broadband is already available at their address rather than simply staying put.
Quickline’s own full fibre network now reaches around 260,000 premises across Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, but the provider recognises that an existing broadband contract can prevent households from making the move even when a new full fibre connection is available at their address.
To tackle that barrier, Quickline will pay eligible new customers’ broadband exit fees, with no cap on the amount, so they can switch without waiting for their existing contract to end.
Ben added: “We know switching broadband can feel like another job on the list, particularly if you still have months left on your existing contract.
“That’s why we keep things simple. Fast, reliable broadband, friendly local support and no mid-contract price rises. And if you’re tied into another provider, we’ll cover your broadband exit fees, with no cap on the amount, so you don’t have to wait for your contract to end.
“We want people to feel confident about making the move to better broadband. If Quickline is available at your address, your existing contract shouldn’t have to stand in your way.”
Running throughout October, ‘It’s Switching Hour’ uses Halloween as a light-hearted backdrop to a straightforward message: no tricks, no mid-contract price rises and no need to remain trapped in an existing broadband contract.
Customers can check availability here. For more news simply follow Quickline on LinkedIn, you’ll get the latest straight to your feed.
*Illustrative calculation assumes a broadband service beginning at £30 per month, followed by five consecutive £4 monthly price increases, with each increased rate applying for a full 12 months. The additional annual costs compared with continuing to pay £30 per month would be £48, £96, £144, £192 and £240 respectively – £720 in total. It does not represent a specific provider or tariff.
