Internet box prices have never been so high since the arrival of Free and its attractive tariffs. According to the Ariase barometer, the average monthly cost of an entry-level fiber box rose to 31.18 euros in October 2023, representing an increase of 4.2% over one month and 15.6% over one year. This sudden increase is mainly due to the shortening of the promotional period for Orange and Sosh fiber subscriptions. Since October 5, Livebox offers have been offered with a promotional period reduced to 6 months, compared with the usual 12. But Orange is not the only operator to raise prices. According to a study published by zoneadsl.com, Red by SFR’s fiber-optic box prices have jumped by 21.7% in the space of a year, representing an average annual increase of 60 euros, excluding promotions. This increase also concerns other operators, with a general rise of 3.5% for all operators combined, while Free’s fiber-optic formulas have not risen. These figures exceed the estimate of the French regulatory authority for electronic communications, post and press distribution (Arcep), which reckons on an average increase of 2%. Telecoms operators justify these increases by the rise in their costs, particularly for logistics, transport, semi-conductors and energy, the rising cost of which has a direct impact on the operation of telecoms infrastructures. If the price of your Internet box package increases too much, you can change operator, hunt out the best promotions or check the usefulness of each option on offer. All you need to do is retrieve your operator identity number (RIO), which you can find in your personal online space, on your bills or by calling the special number “3179”. With this 12-character number, you can change operator if you are not committed to a long-term contract. In a context where Internet box package prices are rising, it is interesting to note that the average monthly cost of a mobile package with unlimited calls and at least 10 GB of mobile data is falling. According to Ariase, the average price this month is 17.05 euros, down 7.8% year-on-year. Rising Internet box prices are bad news for households. However, it is possible to find alternatives by comparing offers and changing operator if necessary. On the other hand, cell phone prices are falling, which can be good news for consumers. It is important to remain vigilant and take these developments into account when choosing your Internet and mobile subscriptions. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TE_mpwLk_DY
