""This goes against the spirit of our rules which are designed to ensure greater certainty and transparency for customers when they sign up," an Ofcom spokesperson told The Register."
""We want customers to have certainty about their monthly mobile bills so they can plan their household budgets," Ofcom told us. "That's why earlier this year we banned unpredictable price rises linked to inflation and instead required providers to tell customers upfront in pounds and pence about any increases in their contract.""
""while impacted customers can leave penalty-free - and many should - we know few will. Most will likely just suck up a rise that was more than they were told when they signed up.""
Ofcom criticized O2 (now VMO2) for planning mid-contract bill increases of up to 40% from April 2026 by exploiting a loophole in new pricing rules. New regulations that took effect in January 2025 banned inflation-linked price rises for new contracts and required providers to specify increases in pounds and pence, with penalty-free exit rights if prices exceed agreed terms. O2 is using the exit-rights provision as cover to impose larger rises. Regulators said the move undermines certainty and transparency for customers. Consumer experts warned most customers will not leave, and analysts fear other providers may follow.
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