Home Tech Ring Doorbell hikes its prices for millions of UK customers: Basic plan jumps by 42% to £49.99 – and furious users say it’s ‘outrageous’

Ring Doorbell hikes its prices for millions of UK customers: Basic plan jumps by 42% to £49.99 – and furious users say it’s ‘outrageous’

by Elijah
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Ring has announced that the price of its Basic Plan will increase by a whopping 42 percent next month.
  • Ring has announced that its Basic Plan will increase in price by 42% next month
  • Customers who were paying £34.99/year will now be charged £49.99/year

It is the smart doorbell preferred by millions of users around the world.

But if you have a Ring Doorbell, your bills are about to go up even more.

Ring has announced that the price of its Basic Plan in the UK will increase by a whopping 42 percent next month.

That means customers who previously paid £34.99/year will now be charged £49.99/year.

Several furious customers have taken to X (formerly Twitter) to discuss the price increase, with one calling it “outrageous.”

Ring has announced that the price of its Basic Plan will increase by a whopping 42 percent next month.

Ring Doorbell customers were notified of the price increase in an email this afternoon

Ring Doorbell customers were notified of the price increase in an email this afternoon

Ring doorbells are very popular and detect any movement outside your home, even when you are not inside.

Aside from the initial stamp duty payment, which can cost up to £349.99, customers must pay an annual subscription.

Currently, the price of the Basic Plan in the UK is £3.49/month, or £34.99/year.

However, from March 11, this will increase to £4.99/month, or £49.99/year.

Customers were notified of the price increase in an email this afternoon.

It says: ‘Thank you for being a Ring Protect Basic subscriber.

‘We want to inform you about an upcoming change to your subscription.

“From March 11, 2024, the price of Ring Protect Basic will change from £34.99/year to £49.99/year per device.”

Several furious customers have taken to X (formerly Twitter) to discuss the price increase, with one calling it

Several furious customers have taken to X (formerly Twitter) to discuss the price increase, with one calling it “outrageous.”

On X, a user wrote:

On

Another added: '2022 - £24.99, 2023 - £34.99, 2024 - £49.99. That's just outrageous.

Another added: ‘2022 – £24.99, 2023 – £34.99, 2024 – £49.99. That’s just outrageous.

If you’re lucky and your subscription renews before March 11, you’ll still be charged the old rate.

However, if your subscription renews after this date, you will face the new price.

The news has not been well received by Ring Doorbell customers, who have called the company “greedy.”

On X, one user wrote: “How come my basic plan is increasing more than 40%?

‘What is the justification for such a large increase? Is it because we are a captive audience?

Another added: ‘2022 – £24.99, 2023 – £34.99, 2024 – £49.99. That is simply scandalous.

And one said: ‘I guess it’s time to move on to different chambers.’

“That price increase is absolutely ridiculous, it doesn’t include any new features and it’s also missing a lot of features that are already available in the US, especially with the Ring Doorbell Pro 2.”

The news comes just days after Amazon, which owns Ring, angered Prime Video customers by introducing ads. for all subscribers who do not pay an additional fee of £2.99/month.

Amazon confirmed that they will be as disruptive as the usual television breaks; Play before, after and during TV shows and movies.

Subscribers in the United States have already been seeing ads for a week and the update will roll out to more countries soon.

On social media, UK customers have greeted the change with outrage, with one saying: “I pay over £100 for Prime as it is and will cancel when my subscription runs out.”

WHAT IS THE RING AND WHY AMAZON BOUGHT IT?

Amazon acquired home security startup Ring for £700 million ($1 billion).

The home security startup sells doorbells that capture video and audio.

Clips can be streamed on smartphones and other devices, while the doorbell even allows owners to chat remotely with those standing at their door.

Ring sells doorbells (left) that capture video and audio. Clips can be streamed on smartphones and other devices, while the doorbell even allows owners to chat remotely with those at their door.

Ring sells doorbells (left) that capture video and audio. Clips can be streamed on smartphones and other devices, while the doorbell even allows owners to chat remotely with those at their door.

Ring promotes its devices as a way to catch package thieves, a nuisance that Amazon has been trying to remedy.

Amazon late last year introduced its own smart lock and camera combo called Amazon Key in a step toward home security.

Key is designed to provide a secure and trackable way for packages to be delivered inside homes when no people are there.

Amazon has bought home security startup Ring for £700 million ($1 billion)

Amazon has bought home security startup Ring for £700 million ($1 billion)

Ring’s doorbell could work well with Amazon Key, which allows delivery staff to place packages inside a home to prevent theft or, in the case of fresh food, spoilage.

California-based Ring first gained attention with a failed funding quest about five years ago on the reality show Shark Tank.

Ring has garnered backing from the likes of billionaire Richard Branson and Amazon’s Alexa Fund.

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