EE BROADBAND CONTRACTS AND SMALL PRINT REVIEW
EE Broadband contracts and small print: How friendly are they?
Unlike some providers, EE Broadband doesn’t have one, simple copy of your broadband contract to offer you, and instead spreads things around in four or five individual terms and conditions documents. That makes finding terms harder than it needs to be. Luckily, you have us to turn to!

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EE Broadband contracts and small print scorecard
Six key areas. One overall score. All calculated using our transparent methodology.
Contract commitment
How restrictive the core contract is, including minimum terms, rolling options, notice periods and what happens when the deal ends.
Price rise terms
How clearly price increases are explained, including fixed annual rises, inflation clauses, timing and any terms that could change the bill.
Early-exit fees
How expensive it can be to leave early, including calculation methods, remaining-contract charges, caps and whether future rises are included.
Speed guarantees
How meaningful the speed promises are, including minimum guaranteed speeds, fault routes, cancellation rights and any service-code protection.
Equipment ownership
What happens to supplied equipment, including ownership, return deadlines, packaging, collection options and any non-return charges.
Hidden catches
How many awkward details sit in the small print, including unusual restrictions, extra obligations and terms that are easy to miss.
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Price rise terms
This section isn't just about EE's advertised annual price rise. We have that covered in the annual price rises section of our EE Value for Money review. No, this is about the wording of the contract, whether EE can raise charges beyond the scheduled yearly increase, and how much room it gives itself to change what you pay.
Some price rise contract clauses are benign, others not so much
The yearly rise is clear, but it isn't the only lever
EE's contract says your monthly price will rise each year by the annual price rise amount. During your minimum term, that increase takes effect at midnight on 31 March. But after your minimum term, when you may find yourself on a rolling monthly contract, it takes effect on 1 March instead.
That yearly rise won't give you the right to leave during the minimum term without paying an early termination charge. So the main rise is predictable, but it's also locked into the agreement from the start for everyone. The whole situation with annual price rises is a mess, truth be told – one that stems from providers competing at the cheapest possible entry point, rather than simply pricing things fairly and keeping those prices fixed. This isn't an EE-specific gripe, it's more a general gripe.
Other charges sit outside the main price rise promise
EE separates your monthly price from other charges. The contract says the amount you pay each month goes up by the annual price rise amount, while other charges, except add-ons, go up by the annual price rise percentage. Both should be set out in your order confirmation or notified to you, and also appear in the price guide. It is as clear as mud in all honesty.
The easiest way to think about it is that your headline broadband price increase isn't the whole picture. Paper bills, late payment charges, reconnection charges, installation fees, extra usage or other billable items can still matter, because EE's terms treat them as charges under the wider agreement, not just as part of your monthly broadband price. EE doesn't write those prices into your contract document at all, which means that technically they can change them as they please. You just sort of have to trust that they won't.
EE can up prices for broader business reasons too
EE's contract gives it a separate route for upping various charges. It says charges may change if the cost of providing the service increases, if the cost of running EE's business increases, if EE reorganises the way it runs its business, or if a law, code, regulation, guidance or responsibility changes.
That doesn't mean every change leaves you stuck with more to pay. But for changes outside the annual rise, EE says you may get notice and may have the right to end the agreement without an early termination charge, unless one of the contract's exceptions applies.
Where's Ofcom on all this?
Ofcom has tightened the rules, but it hasn't made broadband contracts fully predictable. That's the awkward bit.
The April rise now has to be shown upfront
Since 17 January 2025, providers can't use unknown future inflation to calculate in-contract price rises. If a price rise is written into your contract, it has to be shown clearly in pounds and pence before you sign up.
That's a real improvement. You should be able to see the planned April increases before you're locked into a deal.
It isn't a full ban on extra price movement
Ofcom's rules are mainly about making agreed price rises clear, not freezing every possible charge for the whole contract.
If a provider raises prices beyond what you agreed, Ofcom says you should get notice and the right to leave penalty-free. That's useful, but it still isn't the same as a simple fixed-price contract.
When your EE broadband bill can rise outside April
The April rise is the headline one, but it isn't always the only route in the contract. These are the clauses that can push your bill up, plus the areas where you're less exposed.
Add-ons and extras aren't protected by the April promise
You can still see add-ons, admin costs, paper billing, non-inclusive calls and other out-of-bundle charges change separately from the advertised April rise.
Changing your package can change your bill straight away
Adding, removing or reducing services can change what you pay outside the advertised April annual price rise.
Cost-based fees can move when costs move
EE broadband can change what you pay for charges linked to providing a service or carrying out a task, separate from the April rise.
Missed payments can add extra charges
If you pay late, miss a payment or a payment fails, you can face interest, default charges or bank-related charges separately from the April price rise.
Not returning kit can get expensive
If you don't return equipment, you can face replacement, recovery or legal recovery charges outside the advertised April rise.
Law, tax and regulator changes can still hit your bill
If law, VAT, tax, government, regulator or legal obligations change, you can see charges rise outside the advertised April rise.
Some rates can follow wholesale costs
If wholesale-linked rates change, such as international call rates, you can see those changes passed on separately from the advertised April rise.
Third-party charge changes aren't stated separately
EE broadband doesn't state in its contract that third-party charge or term changes can raise your bill separately from the advertised April rise.
Home moves aren't stated as carrying a transfer fee
EE broadband doesn't state in its contract that moving home will trigger a transfer fee.
Home moves aren't stated as starting a new minimum term
EE broadband doesn't state in its contract that moving home will start a new minimum term.
Legal or regulatory changes can also push prices up
EE also protects itself against changes imposed from outside. Its contract says charges can change if there's a change in law, a code of practice, regulation, guidance or responsibility that applies to EE. It even gives a VAT increase as an example. EE can't change things at a whim, but there are plenty of circumstances where it might.
Having trouble choosing a broadband provider?
No single best provider or package exists – only the best pick for you personally. Fibredog's YourMatch™ system uses thousands of provider metrics and a lot of maths to find you your perfect match.
Having trouble choosing a broadband provider?
No single best provider or package exists – only the best pick for you personally. Fibredog's YourMatch™ system uses thousands of provider metrics and a lot of maths to find you your perfect match.
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