The Consumers’ Association welcomes greater ACM oversight of the broadband loyalty penalty, but fears that it will only go so far
Loyal customers pay more for the same subscription year after year
On 25 August 2026, the Dutch Consumers' Association's (known locally as Consumentenbond) launched a campaign against “price inequality”, calling for legislation to end price discrimination between new and existing broadband customers. According to the association, the four major fixed broadband operators in the Netherlands – DELTA Fiber, KPN, Odido and VodafoneZiggo – are refusing to treat customers equally, continuing to “lure” new customers with high discounts and gifts, while loyal “dormant” customers pay more year after year due to inflation-linked adjustments. Consumentenbond estimates that customers that have had a subscription with KPN, Odido and VodafoneZiggo since 2020 pay between 25-30% more than when they took out the subscription. For example, a customer that took out a broadband subscription with KPN in early 2022 would have paid €42.50 (£36.47) per month for the cheapest available tariff. Due to annual increases, that is now €51.86 (£44.51). During the latest promotional period, new customers could take out the same subscription for €35.00 (£30.03) per month in the first year of their contract term, with the standard price of €45 (£38.62) applying in the second.
The ACM has announced measures to improve operators’ communication with their customers
According to Sandra Molenaar (Director, Consumentenbond), it is “unacceptable” that operators are unwilling to do anything about this price inequality, stating that vulnerable groups that do not want or “dare” to switch are now only facing higher bills. She added that people in financial difficulties and the elderly, in particular, experience a great deal of stress when switching to another operator. The association there wants all customers to pay the same amount after the promotional period. A recent telecoms market review by the Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) identified many dormant (or “passive” or “sleeping”) contracts for which the initial contract period has expired and subscriptions may be automatically extended. The regulator stated that this can result in some consumers paying more than those that are relatively more engaged with the market – an issue compounded by the fact that almost half of consumers find it difficult to compare prices between operators.
The ACM concluded that the volume of dormant contracts, in combination with high prices in the budget segment, necessitated further scrutiny given the essential nature of affordable internet access. In February 2026, the regulator outlined its expectations of operators to communicate in a clearer and more transparent manner towards consumers regarding contract expiration dates, renewal options and price changes for fixed broadband plans. In addition, operators must offer their customers appropriate download speed recommendations that are based on their actual internet usage. The ACM also stated that it would publish guidance for operators, in which it would explain how they must inform their customers, as well as how it would enforce compliance with the rules.
Consumentenbond wants politicians to table a Price Inequality Act
The four operators reacted differently to the association's campaign, with DELTA defending annual price increases as “customary”. KPN stated that the telecoms market is highly competitive but acknowledged Consumentenbond’s recommendations, and Odido stated that it would wait to see the effect of the ACM's obligations before providing any further response. While VodafoneZiggo initially stated that the choice to stay or switch is up to the customer, it has now updated its loyalty programme to automatically offer customers greater benefits (including complimentary access to selected streaming services or sports packages) the longer they stay with the operator. The association has pointed to smaller operators without their own network, such as TriNed and Freedom Internet, as proof that it is possible to have all customers pay the same price after the promotional period, regardless of how long they have been customers. Molenaar also described the ACM’s measures and increased oversight as “a nice first step”, but expressed doubts as to whether switching among vulnerable groups will actually increase. She argued that this places the problem and the responsibility on consumers, which Consumentenbond does not agree with. Molenaar underlined that it was now up to politicians to introduce a law that prohibits price inequality because major operators refuse to change anything voluntarily.
