How to skip the April 2026 broadband and mobile price hikes
Now might be your best chance to avoid the upcoming broadband and mobile price hikes in April.
Multiple broadband providers are freezing their prices for the whole of 2026 if you switch to them in March. So if you're out of contract, now is a very smart time to switch, as you'll be on your initial monthly rate for a full year.
Still in contract? You could still avoid broadband price hikes in 2026. Some providers are offering 'early switch credit' on their deals, which means you could cancel your current contract before it ends and receive bill credit to cover any early exit fees you're charged by your old provider.
Want to avoid a price hike on your mobile contract too? Many smaller mobile networks commit to no price rises for the whole of your contract. So you could save on a new deal and lock in your price for the entire contract period.
Read on to learn more about the broadband and mobile price freezes, or check if you could save by switching provider this month.
Broadband providers freezing prices until 2027
Switch to one of these broadband providers in March and you won't see a price increase until April next year. Search for deals from providers including:
Still in contract? Look out for providers offering 'early switch credit', and you'll receive up to £300 to cover any early exit fees you're charged by your current provider.
Mobile networks with no mid-contract price rises
Multiple smaller mobile networks have committed to no mid-contract price rises, so your monthly rate will stay fixed until you switch. These brands include:
Overpaying for your handset? Save over £300 today
Switch to a SIM plan from one of the many networks that fix your monthly prices for the whole term.
How to beat your broadband price increase
Broadband prices are set to rise by as much as £4 a month in April 2026, affecting most UK customers, whether they are in-contract or not.
However, in March, millions have the opportunity to avoid the price increase by starting a new broadband deal with a different provider. As it's less than a month before the price increases take effect, providers 'freeze' the monthly price of their deals to avoid new customers being faced with a first bill that's more expensive than the price they signed up for.
As a result, March is the optimal time to sign up for a new broadband deal, because you'll spend the least time possible on a more expensive bill. So if you're out of contract, you should consider switching this month.
Switch broadband providers early with a switching credit deal
If you're still in your minimum contract term this March, you may still be able to avoid the price increases by switching.
Some providers have introduced 'early switch credit' promotions to their deals, which means you'll receive bill credit to cover (or contribute towards) the early exit fees charged by your current provider for leaving early.
There is some eligibility criteria to be mindful of (i.e. you must be more than a month away from the end of your contract), so ensure you've checked the terms of any deal you're interested in before signing up. But this is a way you can unlock yourself from your current contract without paying an expensive leaving fee.
Is your broadband bill going up in 2026?
If your contract term has ended, you're free to find a cheaper broadband deal right away.
How to beat your mobile price increase
Avoiding annual price increases on your mobile bill is a little bit simpler. Unlike most broadband providers, many mobile networks don't have annual price increases at all.
The majority of these networks are smaller mobile brands, but their service is just as reliable as the well-known networks like O2, EE, Vodafone and Three. In fact, they 'share' the same networks run by these companies, which means you get the same mobile experience, just without the price increases.
Mobile networks that don't have mid-contract price increases include:
- VOXI, Talkmobile and Asda Mobile (Vodafone's network)
- Lebara (O2's network)
- SMARTY (Three's network)
- Spusu (EE's network)
You could save £304 a year by keeping your handset and moving to a SIM only plan. But if you're after a new handset, you could still avoid a year's worth of mid-contract price increases with the right network. Explore your options to see how much you could save.