Due to rising energy prices and other expenses, Vodafone is forced to increase the prices of flat-rate mobile services. The operator’s representatives announced this on Wednesday, adding that the new price list will be effective for existing customers next month. They also advised their customers that they could save money by bundling services.
The prices of flat-rate mobile services will increase by 9 percent for business and non-business customers. In practice, this means that, for example, for a tariff that costs CZK 599, people will now pay CZK 652.
The operator justifies the price increase by saying that last year, energy prices rose significantly and other expenses – for example, network maintenance costs. The volume of mobile data transferred on Vodafone’s networks increased by 40 percent year-on-year.
“We have managed to mitigate the impact of higher costs on customers by buying energy smartly and ahead of time to keep the cost as low as possible. We have also improved our internal efficiency. However, we do not want any cost-saving measures to come at the expense of the quality of the services we provide, which is why we will increase the prices of flat-rate mobile services,” said Petr Dvořák, Vodafone’s CEO, commenting on the new prices.
The new price lists go into effect on February 26 or the next billing period following that date. However, customers can already see the increased prices on the operator’s website, including in the context of orders. However, until the end of February, Vodafone will also charge the original, i.e., lower, prices, to new customers.
If people have multiple services from Vodafone, they will naturally be affected more by the price increase. “Combining services with Vodafone can also result in significant savings – if a customer chooses fixed internet, mobile services, and a TV offer from Vodafone, they will get a price advantage of up to CZK 700 per month for this package,” advised Kateřina Šantorová from Vodafone’s press department.
People who are already using the discounted service packages will, of course, see the price increase. However, this applies only to flat-rate mobile services. The pricing will not change for prepaid cards, existing fixed internet tariffs, or Vodafone TV.