Money
The “from” price
“From” is a door, not a room. The price that matches the boxes you tick is the one that belongs in the year.
14 min read · Money
The smallest word in a broadband advert is doing the most work. “From” lets a retailer put their best-looking configuration in 120-point type and bury the other configurations in a footnote about paperless billing, a 24-month term, and a missing telephone. You can live with those assumptions. You should not be surprised by them.
| Assumption | Typical effect | Who it hurts |
|---|---|---|
| Paperless billing | +£3 to £5 a month if you want paper | Anyone who misses emails |
| Longer term selected | The 12-month price was never the hero | People who needed flexibility |
| Broadband only | Voice is extra | Anyone keeping a number |
| New customers only | Existing customers see a different page | People who thought loyalty was priced |
When we show a monthly figure it is for a specific plan in the catalogue, not an abstract “from”. If you change landline or term on the provider’s form, the year changes with it. That is not us being awkward. That is the product.
Configure the life you will actually live
If you need a paper bill because a relative pays it, that is the product. If you need a geographic number, that is the product. A comparison that only ever shows the “from” configuration is an advert. On this site a plan is a plan: term, voice, listed extras. If you then change the provider’s form, the year changes. That is not us being awkward.
Paper is not a personality flaw
A relative who pays the bill on paper is not behind the times. They are a user of the product. If the “from” price assumed they would live in an inbox they do not open, the honest year includes the paper fee. Put that year in the comparison. Do not apologise for it.
Paper as a fee, email as a trap
A paper-bill surcharge is a from-price trick. So is a paperless discount you lose if you dare to want a letter. Add it back. Also: paperless is how price-rise letters land in spam. Filter the sender. The variation window does not care that you did not see April.
Questions
- Why is the price on the comparison different from the advert?
- The advert may be a “from” with assumptions. A comparison should show a configured product. If ours is mock data, it is labelled mock.
- Is paperless billing safe?
- It is fine if you will actually read the emails. If you will not, pay for paper rather than miss a rise notice.
- Does adding a landline always cost extra?
- On many full-fibre products, yes. On some legacy bundles, the line is baked in. Read the product, not the decade.
- Can I add paper later?
- Often, at a higher monthly. The “from” price assumed you would not.
- Is a paperless discount a trap?
- It is a configuration. If you will read the emails, take it. If you will not, pay for paper and do not miss a rise notice.
- The comparison showed £27 and the checkout was £31.
- You unticked something the “from” assumed. That is the word doing its job. Walk backwards through the boxes.
Sources
- ASA / CAP broadband price claims
- Ofcom contract information
Figures move. Prices, coverage and eligibility must be confirmed with the provider. OneTouchSwitch is not Ofcom, TOTSCo or a broadband network. Last fact-checked 10 September 2026.
Continue in this issue
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