Focus Group Price Increases: Why Reviewers Say Their Bills Keep Rising

"The Fees Went Up Again"

Scroll through the 1-star reviews on uk.trustpilot.com/review/focusgroup.co.uk and you will find a steady trickle of customers saying the bill has gone up, often more than once during the contract. Sometimes it is the scheduled April increase. Sometimes it is a mid-contract change that reviewers say they were not expecting.

We are Compare The Networks, an independent, OFCOM-regulated business telecoms comparison service. This article explains how Focus Group price increases typically work, what the 2025 OFCOM rules mean for you (and where they do not apply), and how to push back if you think a rise is unreasonable.

The Three Types of Price Increase You Might See

1. The Scheduled Annual Increase

Most UK business telecoms contracts include a clause permitting an annual price rise, usually in April. For the major networks on consumer deals, this is capped at a fixed £ amount — £2.50 + VAT per month is the 2025/2026 number for O2, Vodafone and EE.

Business contracts are technically outside the OFCOM rules, but most reputable providers have adopted the same £ and pence approach. Check your Focus Group contract for the exact wording and figure.

2. The End-of-Promotion Step-Up

You signed on a discounted rate for the first 12 or 18 months. When that promotion ends, the price jumps to the "standard" tariff, often significantly higher. Several Trustpilot reviewers describe being surprised by this even though, technically, it is stated in the contract.

3. The Unannounced Mid-Contract Rise

This is the one that generates the angriest Trustpilot reviews. Customers say the bill has changed outside of the scheduled annual rise and outside of any promotion ending — and they cannot find the clause that authorises it.

If this has happened to you, ask in writing for the specific contract clause that permits the increase. If Focus Group cannot point to one, the increase is not enforceable.

OFCOM's 2025 Rules: What Changed

From January 2025, OFCOM banned CPI/RPI-linked price increases for new contracts. Any in-contract price rise must now be stated in £ and pence at the point of sale.

What This Means

The provider must tell you, before you sign, exactly how much your bill will go up and when.
They cannot bury "prices may rise by CPI + 3.9%" in the small print.
The figure has to be concrete. £2.50 per month. Not a percentage.

Where It Does Not Apply

Business-to-business contracts are technically exempt. A sole trader signing a business VoIP contract is a "business" for these purposes.
Contracts signed before January 2025 are not retrospectively changed.

In practice, most major business telecoms providers (including Focus Group, to be fair) have updated their sales process to reflect the £ and pence model. But you should still check your specific contract.

How to Find Your Price Increase Clause

Step 1: Pull out your signed contract

The PDF from DocuSign or equivalent. If you do not have it, ask Focus Group in writing to send it. If they cannot, that is a bigger problem — see our contract problems article.

Step 2: Search for terms like

"annual price review"
"price increase"
"CPI" or "RPI"
"tariff change"
"£2.50" or similar fixed figures

Step 3: Check the exact mechanism

Is it a fixed £ amount, or a percentage?
When does it take effect each year?
Does it apply to all charges or just the base tariff?
Is there a cap (e.g. "not to exceed 5%")?

Step 4: Check what you were told at the sales stage

Emails, proposals, recordings. If the salesperson gave you a different figure to what the contract says, that may be a misselling claim. See our misselling article.

When the Increase Feels Unreasonable

Multiple Increases in 12 Months

If your bill has gone up more than once in a single contract year, something is wrong. Either there is a scheduled rise plus an end-of-promotion step-up (legitimate but should have been disclosed), or there is an unauthorised mid-contract change (not legitimate).

An Increase on Top of a Step-Up

You come off the discounted rate. Then the April annual rise hits on the new standard rate. Then another "admin" adjustment. The cumulative effect can be brutal.

An Increase You Were Not Notified About

Providers are generally required to notify in advance. If you found out only when you looked at the invoice, raise that as part of your complaint.

A Percentage Increase Where You Were Promised £ and Pence

Compare what the salesperson told you to what the contract actually says. If there is a gap, you have a line of argument.

How to Challenge a Focus Group Price Increase

Step 1: Ask for the Clause in Writing

Email Focus Group: "Please provide the specific clause in my contract that authorises the price increase of £X from [date]."

Step 2: Check Their Answer Against Your Contract

If the clause they cite does not match your signed contract, raise it.

Step 3: Check the Sales Evidence

If you were told at the sales stage that prices were "fixed" or "capped" and the increase exceeds what was described, that is misrepresentation.

Step 4: Put in a Formal Complaint

In writing. State the problem, the outcome you want (reversal, credit, cancellation without ETF), and ask for a written response.

Step 5: Escalate to CISAS

After 8 weeks or a deadlock letter. See our complaints and CISAS article.

Step 6: Keep Everything in Writing

No verbal resolutions. Reviewers describe Focus Group refunds being agreed on the phone and never paid. If it is not in writing, it did not happen.

Your Legal Right to Leave if The Price Rises Materially

Under OFCOM consumer rules, if a provider raises the price materially mid-contract, consumers have a 30-day right to leave without ETF. On business contracts this right is weaker — it depends on your specific contract terms and on whether the rise is a variation or is permitted by a clause you already agreed to.

Some Focus Group contracts include a "material change" clause that allows you to exit within 30 days of notification if the change is significant. Check yours. If it exists and the rise qualifies, you have a way out.

What Honest Alternatives Cost

This is the other reason to care about mid-contract price rises: they are often a signal that you are paying over the market. If your Focus Group bill has crept up by 20% since you signed, the market has almost certainly moved the other way on equivalent services.

Get a free quote and we will show you what the same setup would cost from the direct networks, honest independent VoIP providers, and other alternatives. The answer is often a pleasant surprise — and knowing the market rate strengthens your negotiating position with Focus Group too.

Benchmarking Focus Group Against The Market

Worth comparing their pricing and practice with other similar-tier providers:

Onecom reviews alternative — Vodafone partner with similar mid-contract step-up patterns
4com reviews alternative — different product, similar contract structure
Daisy Communications reviews alternative
Chess Telecom reviews alternative
Hosted VoIP business guide — platform-level options with transparent pricing

How to Protect Yourself on Any New Contract

Get the exact price for every month of the contract in writing. Not "from £X" — the actual figure.
Get the annual increase in £ and pence. Not a percentage.
Get a cap in writing. "No more than £X over the term" is a cap you can hold them to.
Get a material change right to exit in writing. 30 days is standard.
Review every invoice every month. Set a calendar reminder.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Focus Group increase prices mid-contract?

Yes, if the contract permits it. Most B2B telecoms contracts include an annual increase clause. Check yours. If the rise is not covered by a clause, it is not enforceable.

Do OFCOM's £ and pence rules apply to my Focus Group business contract?

Technically no — OFCOM's rules are for consumer contracts. But most major providers (including Focus Group) have applied the same approach to business deals. Check your specific wording.

Why has my Focus Group bill gone up twice in a year?

Most likely a combination of the annual scheduled rise and a promotional rate ending. Ask for an itemised explanation in writing.

Can I leave if the price goes up a lot?

Depends on your contract. Look for a "material change" clause giving you 30 days to exit without ETF. If it exists and applies, you have a way out.

How do I challenge a Focus Group price increase?

In writing, via their complaints process. If unresolved in 8 weeks or you get a deadlock letter, escalate to CISAS. See our complaints guide.

Compare Your Options Before The Next Rise

Get a free quote and see what you should actually be paying. We compare all four networks plus honest independent VoIP providers.

Or read more:

Nearly 20 years helping UK businesses. Over 1,000 verified Trustpilot reviews. OFCOM-regulated. Free.

Get your free comparison now.

About this article. Claims reported here are attributed to public reviews on Trustpilot and similar platforms. They represent the opinions of the reviewers cited, not statements of fact by Compare The Networks. Brands named may dispute these claims. If you are a brand representative who believes any content requires correction, please contact us.

Focus Group Price Increases 2026: Why Your Bill Keeps Going Up