Labour’s Shadow Digital Minister, Stephanie Peacock MP, recently visited a Hyperoptic full fibre broadband site in Pimlico to witness firsthand the company’s investment and engineering efforts in connecting customers to gigabit broadband. She commended Hyperoptic’s skilled work in providing essential full fibre connectivity to homes.
Stephanie Peacock emphasised that broadband is a necessity, not a luxury. She criticized the government for failing to act, leading to customers facing rising bills and areas missing out on adequate broadband rollout. As part of Labour’s three-point plan for broadband affordability, she urged Ofcom to address consumer penalties such as mid-contract price rises. Peacock appreciated Hyperoptic’s campaign to raise awareness about these price increases and advocated for a change to protect households from escalating bills.
Broadband providers raised prices this spring, citing January’s CPI inflation rate, resulting in hikes of up to 14.4%, with an additional 3.9% on top. Hyperoptic’s research in February revealed that half of consumers who recently signed up for a contract were unaware of the subsequent price increase in April, with 24% having no knowledge of any upcoming raise. Two-thirds of respondents regretted their decision to sign up, indicating they would have chosen a different provider had they been informed about mid-contract price hikes.
James Fredrickson, Hyperoptic’s Policy Director, expressed concern about households being trapped in deals with significant mid-contract price rises, unable to switch providers without incurring termination fees. He lauded Stephanie Peacock for supporting their campaign, highlighting Hyperoptic’s commitment to not implement mid-contract price rises. The company believes that the advertised price should remain consistent throughout the contract’s duration.
Hyperoptic, with a goal to connect 500,000 customers and cover two million homes, is determined to maintain market-leading penetration and offer an outstanding customer experience while scaling its operations.
