Current customer / New customer deals - consumer rights?

Summer1Winter0

I think I heard Martin say on tonight's programme that broadband providers advertise their Black Friday deals via price comparison sites as if they did otherwise, ie. advertise on their own site, they would have to provide current customers with the same deals that they are offering to New customers. Is this correct?

My local provider, Fibrus, is advertising and promoting its Black Friday deals on its own website.
www.fibrus.com
Does this mean I can avail of a Black Friday deal as I am now one month out of contract with Fibrus?

I would value your thoughts/guidance?

DullGreyGuy

Summer1Winter0 said:

I think I heard Martin say on tonight's programme that broadband providers advertise their Black Friday deals via price comparison sites as if they did otherwise, ie. advertise on their own site, they would have to provide current customers with the same deals that they are offering to New customers. Is this correct?

My local provider, Fibrus, is advertising and promoting its Black Friday deals on its own website.
www.fibrus.com
Does this mean I can avail of a Black Friday deal as I am now one month out of contract with Fibrus?

I would value your thoughts/guidance?

Haven't watched the programme. 

Certainly some industries have regulations that say existing customers cannot be charged more than new customers for the same product via the same channel... Home and Car insurance being the obvious example. 

In the majority of industries there are no such regulations and it's perfectly legal to charge your existing customers more than your new customers. At the same time in many cases there is nothing legally to stop customers canceling their service and rebuy as a new customer however some will have implemented technology to prevent the repurchase (there is no law requiring a company to sell to you) 

Not an expert on broadband regulations. Would be surprised if the regulations are such that own site adverts have different rules to third party sites but it's possible.

The problem with these things often is the notice to cancel and the ability to sign up to the reduced price to have uninterupted service and no duplication of service. That said, our internet is via Hyperoptic and they're always happy to sign you up to another long contract at the same price as new customers as soon as you are out of contract. 

born_again

Summer1Winter0 said:

I think I heard Martin say on tonight's programme that broadband providers advertise their Black Friday deals via price comparison sites as if they did otherwise, ie. advertise on their own site, they would have to provide current customers with the same deals that they are offering to New customers. Is this correct?

My local provider, Fibrus, is advertising and promoting its Black Friday deals on its own website.
www.fibrus.com
Does this mean I can avail of a Black Friday deal as I am now one month out of contract with Fibrus?

I would value your thoughts/guidance?

Er have you looked any of their sites?
02 clearly have offers.
Plusnet do
Virgin, Sky etc do....

If you are in a fixed term contract then, no they do not have to offer the same deal (unless you buy out)

Summer1Winter0

Thank you.

I followed up with a query to the consumerline in NI.

consumerline@economy-ni.gov.uk

Reply:

"Once you are out of contract, your provider should inform you on a yearly basis what you are paying and what offers they have available.  However they do not have to give you the same offers available to new customers, but you can negotiate for a better deal.

Consumerline

Trading Standards Service"