Am I overpaying for broadband?
Seven questions on what happens when a broadband deal ends. If you cannot remember when yours started, this one is for you.
In June 2025, in-contract customers paid £7 to £9 a month less than out-of-contract customers, and 28% of broadband customers were out of contract. Your provider must tell you 10 to 40 days before your contract ends, and remind you every year after that.
What you will learn
- 1What letting a deal roll over costs
- 2The reminders your provider must send
- 3When dropping the landline could save money
Why it matters
When a broadband deal ends, the price usually moves up to the provider's standard rate. Ofcom found that in June 2025, customers on broadband alone paid an average of £28.66 a month in contract against £35.86 out of contract. Across a year, that gap adds up.
There are rules to help. Your provider has to tell you before your contract ends, show you its best deals and remind you every year if you stay out of contract. And Ofcom found 70% of homes with broadband and a landline made no outgoing call in a year, so it is worth asking whether you need the line at all.
Every answer, explained
Spoilers below. Play first, then open any question to see the answer, the reason and the source.
1. In June 2025, customers in contract for broadband alone paid an average of £28.66 a month. What did out-of-contract customers pay?
Answer: £35.86
£35.86 a month on average, according to Ofcom's pricing research. Prices vary by provider and postcode, but the gap is consistent.
Source: Ofcom, Pricing and consumer engagement 2025; UK Broadband in Numbers, November 2026
2. Ofcom says in-contract customers spend how much less a month than out-of-contract customers?
Answer: £7 to £9
£7 to £9 a month less, across broadband alone and bundles. Re-contracting or switching usually gets it back.
Source: Ofcom, Pricing and consumer engagement, February 2026
3. When must your provider tell you your contract is ending?
Answer: 10 to 40 days before it ends
Between 10 and 40 days before, by text, email or letter. The notice must include your new price and the provider's best deals, including new-customer prices.
4. Already out of contract? How often must your provider remind you and update you on its best deals?
Answer: Every year
Every year. It is a good nudge to compare.
5. Ofcom found 70% of homes buying broadband and a landline together made no outgoing call in a year. About how much less does standalone broadband typically cost?
Answer: £7 a month
About £7 a month less. If nobody uses the landline, broadband on its own could be the easy saving.
Source: Ofcom, Pricing and consumer engagement, February 2026
6. Which group had the highest out-of-contract rate in June 2025, at 39%?
Answer: Homes with broadband and a landline only
Homes taking broadband and a landline only. Across all broadband customers the figure was 28%.
Source: UK Broadband in Numbers, November 2026; Ofcom, Pricing and consumer engagement 2025
7. What share of UK households switched internet provider in 2025?
Answer: 18%
18%, up from 14% in 2023. One Touch Switch has made it a much simpler job.
Source: Ofcom, Pricing and consumer engagement, February 2026
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Questions people ask
- How much more do out-of-contract broadband customers pay?
- Ofcom found in-contract customers paid £7 to £9 a month less in June 2025. For broadband on its own, that was £28.66 against £35.86 a month on average.
- Will my provider tell me when my contract ends?
- Yes. Providers must tell you between 10 and 40 days before it ends, including their best deals, and remind you every year if you stay out of contract.
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How we checked this quiz
Every answer was checked on 9 November 2026 against the source listed with it, mostly Ofcom and the companies that publish the figures, and dated figures say when they apply. Questions that depend on a date, such as compensation amounts that rise each April, are hidden automatically once they pass their review date, so the quiz never shows an out-of-date answer. Your scores, badges and streaks are kept on this device only. Anonymous answer counts help us show how other players did, with no names or personal details.
References
- Martin-Smith, A. J. (2026, November 7). UK broadband in numbers (Edition 2, November 2026). BroadbandSwitch.uk Data Lab. https://broadbandswitch.uk/reports/uk-broadband-statistics/
- Ofcom. (2022, April 12; updated 2026, July 17). Are you in or out of contract? https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-and-broadband/saving-money/in-or-out
- Ofcom. (2026). Pricing and consumer engagement 2025. https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-and-broadband/bills-and-charges/pricing-and-consumer-engagement
- Ofcom. (2026, February 26). New Ofcom research reveals how to cut phone and internet bills. https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-and-broadband/bills-and-charges/new-ofcom-research-reveals-how-to-cut-phone-and-internet-bills
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