How to approach negotiating a lower broadband bill with your ISP

The 2020s have been a time of unprecedented economic struggle across the UK.

We’re paying record amounts of tax in exchange for dwindling public services from cash-strapped governments and near-bankrupt councils.

Soaring food and energy costs have resulted from a toxic combination of geopolitical, economic and climate events.

In this dismal economic context, it’s perhaps unsurprising that home broadband bills have also been rising, albeit by less than the increases levied by many other service providers.

Nonetheless, at a time of economic hardship for millions of households, negotiating a lower broadband bill with your ISP could be hugely beneficial.

Sadly, we’re not a nation of keen negotiators, and ISPs acknowledge this when they raise existing contract prices to fund the generous discounts offered to new clients.

These are our tips on negotiating a lower broadband bill – starting with something so obvious that few of us bother to do it…

Check what you’re paying now

Can you immediately recall what your current broadband contract costs each month?

Few people can, even if broadband is a standalone expenditure rather than being bundled in with other triple-play or quad-play services like a landline or pay TV.

Look at bank statements or dig out your contract. Also examine recent bills to ensure you aren’t routinely paying top-up fees, as used to be the case on data-limited contracts.

You may be paying monthly premiums for additional routers or other services which inflate the headline contract cost. Take a note of any examples.

Add context by investigating what rival providers in your local area would charge for a comparable service, using the deal comparison tools here on BroadbandDeals.co.uk.

Compose your arguments

Negotiating a lower broadband bill requires an objective. You can’t just ring up and say “I want to pay less”, because it’s hardly a compelling argument for the ISP to sacrifice income.

What are you looking to achieve? Perhaps it’s bringing bills back to the level of a recently expired fixed term broadband contract or writing off the additional monthly cost of a range extender.

Maybe you can negotiate a lower monthly fee by reducing line speed – many people sign up to the highest line speed package available yet don’t use enough data to justify it.

Set a goal and add some context to it. Are you looking to reduce outgoings due to a change in circumstances – while on parental leave or because of reduced working hours, perhaps?

Explain why you’re asking for additional savings. If you’re a long-standing customer, reminding the ISP of your loyalty won’t hurt.

Be respectful

ISP contact centre staff have to endure a high volume of calls from frustrated customers who are argumentative and rude.

You’re far more likely to achieve a lower broadband contract if you remain polite with customer service agents – not interrupting, getting frustrated or repeating previous points.

The service agent might not be able to immediately confirm a price reduction or better deal, so be willing to call back or leave it with them.

Anecdotal evidence suggests you may have more negotiating power earlier in the month, while phoning earlier in the day could reduce both waiting times and your own stress levels.

Ultimately, a great deal depends on your ISP’s desire to retain your custom. Mentioning the rival services we recommended researching earlier will indicate you know what competitors offer.

Being polite but firm in your desire to cut costs – even if that means defecting to a rival provider – might just tip the scales in terms of successfully negotiating a lower broadband bill…