Massive price increases at TalkTalk & Cartel like behaviour?

EdwardB · 3 October 2015 at 6:19PM

TalkTalk was not interested in negotiating prices which is why I left and because I am moving soon so do not want to get hit for that.

I got peeved about TalkTalk pulling a fast one when I decided to leave and had a look to see how prices compare and was really shocked.

Prices seem to have increased across the board, usually you only see this in a competitive market in two situations, 1. a company is preparing to sell 2. There is an unofficial cartel in practice.

It seems TalkTalk offering less and less but asking for more and more.

Talk Talk charge near mobile rates for any calls not included in their plan with 17p "connection" starting soon #ripoff

In one paragraph it describes " TV, totally unlimited broadband and evening and weekend calls" in the next it says

"There is a monthly unbilled allowance applied to all TalkTalk packages. If you exceed your allowance you will be barred from making outgoing calls from your TalkTalk landline "

So not unlimited and it says

"Please check My Account for further details."

How can you check before you buy if you do not get access to My Account until you have bought? #ripoff

These are just part of the terms HIDDEN under links at the bottom. #ripoff

TalkTalk have put up line rental so many times they have gone from the cheapest to one of the most expensive. #ripoff

The Talk Talk Anytime call plan has increased by 50% from £5 to £7.50 #ripoff

The Talk Talk download speeds used to be 12mb on ADSL now they are around 9 to 10, #ripoff

The Talk Talk loyalty discounts have evaporated, some customers saw price increased by £300 #ripoff

Talk Talk say they move you for free but they insist on charging you for a new 18 month contract at a new rate with a lower discount, that is not free. #ripoff

Talk Talk say on their site that Broadband is

FREE for 12 months £7.50 a month thereafter
+ £17.70 monthly line rental

What is not visible is that you are signing for an 18 month contract!

So you would be paying an extra £151.20 for the extra 6 months, #ripoff

The International Call boost has increased from £3 a month to £5 a month #ripoff

What made me think there may be some unofficial cartel like behaviour going on is the way that one company puts up a price (e.g. for Anytime) and the others do not compete but follow suit. Then they do the same for line rental and start to remove or make less competitive offers.

The overall result is a less competitive market.

Sure there are so called "deals" but these are now paid for with these higher prices so there is no real competition.

It seems a bit like when petrol stations were taking it in turns to offer the cheapest price, it looked at if there was competition but it was orchestrated.

Bear in mind TalkTalk charged some customer £3 a month for broadband and free line rental for a year plus all sorts of freebies.

I think I will go with EE in January when I renew, not because I think they offer good service but to help them get big enough to offer some competition in the market.