Phone calls and Internet could soon become more expensive

Spread the love

Read Time:1 Minute, 54 Second

Telephone and Internet providers also plan to adjust their prices soon, the Standard reported. Customers could soon get rate increases if the respective contracts allow it.

A1
Provider A1 is raising prices for 2.4 million customers as of April, the company confirmed to Der Standard. The monthly increase ranges, on average, between 2.2 and six euros for mobile customers and 2.3 to 4.5 euros for fixed network customers. This corresponds to an increase of 8.5 percent.

Drei
The competitor Drei refers to the 2023 indexation for telephone rates regarding the increase. This would provide an average price adjustment of EUR 2.20 per month and EUR 2 per month for data rates.

Magenta
For reasons of competition, it says the third-largest provider Magenta does not want to provide information about any increases. The company points to the sharp rise in energy and fixed costs currently affecting telecommunications companies.

Increase in April or May
Soon, inflation could affect the bill for some customers. Managing director of the comparison portal Tarife.at Maximilian Schirmer means that most offerers will change their prices in April or May. The sticking point is the contract and whether the provider has secured the right to adjust the monthly payment amount to inflation.

If providers want to retrospectively anchor this right in the contract, it has to be changed. However, this means that consumers no longer have the special request for termination.

Costs for network expansion
In addition to inflation, the operators point out that network expansion costs money. A1 expands its digital infrastructure by EUR 600 million annually, and Drei and Magenta also face high additional costs due to the expansion. One major cost item for the providers is energy – according to Drei, energy costs have “tripled to quadrupled” for them.

In addition, there are higher rents for mobile stations, stores and salary costs. To some extent, as in other industries, these boxes are also passed on to customers.

Telephone allowance
For people with social and physical needs, the Federal Ministry for Climate Protection (BMK) grants a subsidy of EUR 12 per month for telephone charges. At A1, for example, a credit is applied to the bill, according to the company’s website. More information here.