New price increases to come for the telephony sector. In fact, some operators have decided to istart 2023 with tariff remodulations which involve increases in the monthly fee of a fixed amount established by the provider for existing customers. In addition, they have appeared on the market of rates indexed to inflation, which adjust periodically based on the trend of the price index and which could lead to new price increases. L’Rate Observatory of SOStariffe.it and Segugio.it analyzed in detail the new trends in the telephony sector.
Tariffs indexed to inflation, as telephony prices rise
In the field of mobile telephony, the increases involved some existing customers of TIM (+2 euros per month) e WINDTRE (+2 euros per month), as well as the customers of the main Italian virtual operator Post Mobile (+1 euro per month).
As far as fixed telephony is concerned, the remodulations have affected customers Fastweb (up to + 5 euros per month), TIM (+2 euros per month) e Vodafone (+1.99 euros per month). These increases occurred only for the rates of existing customers, while those for new customers were not affected by the phenomenon.
In fact, according to the Observatory’s surveys at the beginning of 2023, the average fee for mobile telephony offers is at the lowest level ever recorded. And the average fee for home Internet offers has also decreased compared to the previous months.
The Observatory also reports a new phenomenon, the introduction of tariffs that adjust to inflation. This news is for now WINDTRE e TIM, who have adopted this formula in different ways, both for offers aimed at existing customers and for those aimed at new users. In some cases, the increases even reach +10%.
Risk of general increases
A trend that could also spread to other operators in the future, as has already happened in the past with renewals every 28 days instead of every month. Rates that adjust to inflation include a annual variation of the monthly cost based on the trend of the consumer price index. This variation does not constitute a unilateral remodulation by the operator and therefore does not allow the customer to withdraw from the contract, but is part of the conditions established at the time of signing the offer.
If you need help navigating this sea of rising tariffs, you can find out more on the Observatory website.