Letters

Above-inflation price rises shouldn’t be allowed next year

I can’t say I’m holding my breath for any help from broadband providers on the cost of living (Issue 636, page 9). Raising awareness of their social tariffs is positive, but what about the millions of people in low-paid jobs? The only way providers can seriously help those is to scrap their inflation-linked price rises.

I think the public swallowed these increases this year, albeit reluctantly, because it was the first big rises for a long time, if ever. It almost seemed like a novelty. But there’s no way they should be allowed to get away with it next year. Consumer groups should start putting pressure on them now.

I know providers say that they need this investment in order to hit the Government’s gigabit broadband target (covering 85 per cent of the UK by 2025), but it’s irresponsible to stick to that target amid this crisis. Nobody needs gigabit anyway, and it’s certainly not a justification to hike prices by over 10 per cent.