Telecoms firms investigated for failing to warn UK customers of price rises

There have been complaints about customers not being told about mid-contract price rises. Photograph: Sally Anscombe/Getty Images

The telecoms regulator has launched an investigation into whether companies are ripping off mobile and broadband customers by not telling them that they could face bill increases of hundreds of pounds when they sign their contract.

Ofcom will investigate the sales practices used in the UK telecoms market – which is dominated by BT, EE, Virgin Media O2, Sky, Vodafone, Three and TalkTalk – after complaints that customers were not told about mid-contract price rises when they signed up.