New financial year... fewer broadband offers?

Having had a quick scan around looking at prices, it seems like there are fewer enticing offers on the market right now - e.g. Vodafone, Plusnet, John Lewis Broadband etc.

I guess that.for providers which use the annual CPI + 3.9% (or similar) price rise formula which kicks in on 1st April, this makes some sense - from 1st April, they'll also likely have a revised set of prices for new contracts for their services , so they need to offer things at 'full price' for a while before they can then wheel out the various discounts and 'special offers' etc.

I wonder if that might change in a week or so... I'd had my eye on John Lewis Broadband (as ideally I only want a 12 month contract), and they had been offering various John Lewis gift card freebies for new customers (e.g. £75 or £50) - but nothing at the moment.

I presume you are aware that John Lewis broadband is actually provided by Plusnet? Though AIUI they do have their own first-line support and that it is better than Plusnet's.

In reply to a post by pluralist:

I presume you are aware that John Lewis broadband is actually provided by Plusnet? Though AIUI they do have their own first-line support and that it is better than Plusnet's.

I am aware, yes, but thanks anyway.

As I understand it, JL Broadband's support operation is all handled in-house by Plusnet too - it's just that JLB customers get prioroty treatment (maybe they have a dedicated team, I'm not sure).

As well as the 12 month contract, the gift card (that they had been offering) was attractive as I was looking to buy a sofa - and unlike Boris and Carrie Johnson, John Lewis is definitely not beneath me!

In reply to a post by binary:

. . .and unlike Boris and Carrie Johnson, John Lewis is definitely not beneath me!

. . .although the sofa will be . . .

Now TV Broadband have a very enticing offer at the moment. 12 month contract, £5 up-front for the router, £20 per month for 80/20 FTTC plus £100 cashback via Quidco.

£67.50 quidco now

In reply to a post by jbnm5:

Now TV Broadband have a very enticing offer at the moment. 12 month contract, £5 up-front for the router, £20 per month for 80/20 FTTC plus £100 cashback via Quidco.

Thanks. Unfortunately I got NOW Broadband through a similar Quidco cashback offer a couple of years ago and they never paid up - I was very careful with ensuring I did everything to make sure it would track (e.g. no adblocking on either site, used a 'clean' browser etc). I followed it up with Quidco and they did nowt so I avoid them now.

However I do see that TopCashback are offering £76.50 for a new NOW Broadband 12-month FTTC contract at £20 a month, which also comes with 'free' Anytime calls (inc. mobile) for a year.

My only slight reservation with NOW Broadband is that I'm not quite ready just yet to be switched over to a VoIP landline - I don't think NOW have started doing that yet, but as their parent Sky has started switching their broadband customers across (to what they call 'Internet Calling') I imagine it might not be long. - not least as NOW Broadband runs on the Sly Broadband platform (it is essentially a rebranded flavour of Sky Broadband).

Obviously VoIP is coming for everyone sooner or later!

It is difficult to get contracts for 12 months at a decent price, I suppose because the providers are trying to recoup the money that they lose on the deal.
When this contract is done on plusnet I will look for something that is 12 months and not 18, Zzoomm have up theirs to 24 months, so I will certainly not be going there.
Now broadband as been said above do give a good offer, not worried about phone as I already use VoIP anyway.
i know someone who is with Sky, and they changed their phone over to VoIP, but they are having a few problems with the phone not ringing and when it does ring as soon as they answer it cuts out.