Scots want broadband bills to be regulated, study finds

A survey has found that the majority of Scots want broadband bills to be regulated.

A study by OpinonMatters for Brillband found that four out of five people want to see the bills regulated, with inflation pushing up prices by as much as £120 in some households.

According to the survey of 1,000 people, 78% of broadband customers think the communications regulator Ofcom should crack down on year-on-year price hikes amid rising costs.

Costs for Broadband have risen by 11% this year, with some users seeing their yearly broadband spend increase by as much as £119.88 since August 2021.

Ofcom launched a investigation earlier this month to see if telecoms companies were being upfront with customers about price increases. It found companies such BT, Vodafone and EE increasing their prices in line with the consumer price index, plus 3.9%.

The findings have laid bare the feeling of discontent among broadband customers across Scotland, with Brillband founder Duncan Di Biase accusing big providers of “pushing people into poverty” by forcing them to pay “unaffordable rates”.

He said: “Millions of customers are being overcharged and underserved at a time when so many are struggling to make ends meet.

“These findings show it’s time for the regular to step in and ensure households can stay connected without having to worry about huge increases to their bills.

“While it’s welcome news that Ofcom is conducting its own investigation into how transparent some providers have been with their customers, they need to go one step further and provide reassurance to people who are struggling.

“People need help now more than ever and it should be Ofcom’s responsibility to ensure families aren’t being pushed into poverty as a result of unaffordable broadband rates.”

Ofcom has said around four million UK households could be getting cheaper broadband by signing up to a social tariff, a low-cost broadband deal offered to customers on benefits.