Online comparison engine BroadbandChoices.co.uk published results of research earlier this week, suggesting that 30% of broadband consumers are foregoing possible savings by not bundling broadband with other telelcoms services. To some, bundling broadband with services like home phone just makes sense, but what’s holding people back?
While the economic environment suggests that consumers are more likely to look to save money spent on household services, Broadband Choices research also found just under a third of consumers are unsure whether bundling services would even prove to be more cost effective compared to subscribing to separate providers.
Back in May we blogged about how the broadband market is reaching saturation point, likely to make leading ISPs even more competitive. This is a good thing for consumers.
So are consumers really not switching on to the money they could save by bundling, or is there something more complex going on here? Our own research and insight suggests that this issue is much more complicated than simply finding the best deal and hitting the ‘switch’ button…
- What am I already tied to? – many customers who are looking to switch to bundle deals are finding that they are locked into prohibitive contracts with their existing providing – particularly those that roll-over if the customer does not decide to switch within a short window. This can be exasperated by having separate contracts for different services all from the same provider.
- Will I really get a better deal? – but what about the 30% of consumers that Broadband Choices suggests do not think that a bundle will deliver better value? We recognise that, while price remains key for customers when selecting a broadband provider, value doesn’t equal price alone – the savvy UK consumer demands reliability, great support and the best range of services to choose from.
- Can I get the deal I want? – Let’s not forgot the issue of availability; while Broadband Choices recommends Virgin Media, only just over half of the UK are actually within Virgin’s network area…so not a great bundle deal if you are in the wrong half!
We continue to work at addressing these issues and reach more people with the best value bundle available – providing a leading value “Essentials” package with the flexibility to “boost” products with no additional or rolling commitment. We’re constantly working to improve and deliver great customer service while developing new and relevant services across the UK’s biggest next-generation network, available to more than 80% of the UK.
So are UK consumers really ignoring the savings available to them? As the points above show, it’s not just consumer apathy that’s stopping people taking bundles, but a combination of factors. There’s never been a better time to shop around and get a good deal, but as the savvy shopper knows, it’s not just down to price.
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