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Sky Mobile customers will be confronted with a price rise on February 14, the network has confirmed. The price hike will only impact those who are outside of their contract term — that's roughly one million of the three million total customers who rely on Sky Mobile for their calls, text messages, and mobile internet.
If you're impacted by the changes, you'll need to spend an extra £1.50 every month.
That equates to an extra £18 each year.
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Sky Mobile will increase prices for both pay monthly — those who pay the cost of their smartphone and airtime with the mobile network — and those with a SIM-only plan who have completed their initial contract terms.
If you're outside of the initial two-year deal, it's worth switching to a rival mobile network or signing-up for a new contract with Sky Mobile. Unfortunately, loyalty is rarely rewarded by these firms, with the best offers always reserved to attract new customers. You can take your mobile number with you when you switch between mobile networks.
Mobile networks typically increase prices in April, with Sky Mobile enforcing its latest price hike well ahead of rivals like EE, Vodafone, O2, and Three. The latest price shake-up from Sky Mobile comes amid a series of price adjustments from the network, including rises in international call rates and messaging costs.
Starting from February 14, mobile calls to EU and EEA countries will rise by 4p to 25p per minute, while calls to other international destinations will increase by £1 to £3.50 per minute.
Text messages to countries outside Europe will cost 95p — up from 75p. Picture messages to UK numbers will increase to 95p — a 15p rise. The International Saver Plan will see a monthly increase of £1 — rising to £4.
Additionally, calls to service numbers starting with 084-, 087-, 09- and 118- increase to 95p from 75p a minute.
Finally, if you're signed-up for the Sky Mobile International Saver Plan, which offers discounted calls and texts from the UK and Roaming Passport Plus destinations to over 60 international landline and mobile destinations, for a flat fee each month. This optional extra increases from £3 to £4 per month effective from February 14.
Ofcom data shows that some 37% of pay monthly customers are currently out-of-contract, that equates to roughly one million of Sky Mobile's three million customers could be impacted by the changes.
As highlighted earlier, the timing of Sky Mobile's price increase marks a departure from industry norms, with most other networks typically implementing their rises around April. Unlike other providers, Sky Mobile has traditionally used fixed amounts rather than inflation-linked increases.
The February timing puts Sky Mobile ahead of competitors, with firms like BT, EE, Vodafone and Three all planning their price adjustments for April 2025.
Sky Mobile customers still within their contract period will not see any changes to their monthly payments. Those affected can check their contract status by logging into their online account or contacting Sky Mobile directly.
Customers can also text the word "INFO" followed by their date of birth to 85075 to check if they have any remaining contract obligations. Sky typically sends reminders 10 to 40 days before a contract ends, followed by annual reminders once customers move out of contract.
The £1.50 monthly increase represents a fixed amount rise, rather than the percentage-based increases historically used by other networks. This comes as the telecoms industry faces new regulations requiring clearer communication about price increases to customers.
A spokesperson for Sky Mobile said: "We always aim to provide an outstanding service alongside some of the best value plans on the market. To ensure we can continue to invest in our services and deliver a great experience, the majority of our out of contract customers will see their monthly bill increase by £1.50 in February."
Sky Mobile customers aren't alone... but those with rival mobile networks will need to wait a few more weeks to find out how much costs will increase this year
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The statement comes as British telecom firms face increased scrutiny over their pricing strategies. From January 17, Ofcom will require all mobile phone and broadband providers to display mid-contract price increases in pounds and pence rather than using inflation-linked percentages.
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The new rules will cap maximum price rises at between £1 and £3 per month. This follows criticism of providers using inflation-linked mid-contract price rises, which were deemed "confusing" for households.
The change means customers must now be told exactly how much their contract will increase by each year in clear monetary terms. Sky Mobile's fixed-amount increase approach already aligns with these upcoming requirements. Rival BT has already announced how it plans to implement its new Ofcom-approved annual price rise strategy, followed by TalkTalk.
