It’s the go-to smart doorbell for millions of users around the world.
But if you have a Ring Doorbell, your bills are about to get even bigger.
Ring has announced that its Basic Plan in the UK is increasing in price by a whopping 42 per cent next month.
That means customers who were previously paying £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 its Basic Plan is increasing in price by a whopping 42 per cent next month
Ring Doorbell customers were notified of the price increase in an email this afternoon
Ring’s doorbells are hugely popular, and detect any movement outside your home, even when you are not in.
Aside from the upfront payment for the doorbell, which can cost up to £349.99, customers need to pay for an annual subscription.
Currently the price for the Basic Plan in the UK is £3.49/month, or £34.99/year.
However, from 11 March, this will increase to £4.99/month, or £49.99/year.
Customers were notified of the price increase in an email this afternoon.
It reads: ‘Thank you for being a Ring Protect Basic subscriber.
‘We want to let you know about an upcoming change to your subscription.
‘Starting 11 March 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 ‘outrageous’
Taking to X, one user wrote: ‘how come my basic plan is going up by more than 40%? What’s the justification for such a big rise? Is it because we’re a captive audience?’
Another added: ‘2022 – £24.99, 2023 – £34.99, 2024 – £49.99. That’s just scandalous’
If you’re lucky and your subscription renews before March 11, you’ll still be charged the previous rate.
However, if your subscription renews after this date, you’ll face the new price.
The news has not gone down well with Ring Doorbell customers, who have slammed the firm as ‘greedy’.
Taking to X, one user wrote: ‘how come my basic plan is going up by more than 40%?
‘What’s the justification for such a big rise? Is it because we’re a captive audience?’
Another added: ‘2022 – £24.99, 2023 – £34.99, 2024 – £49.99. That’s just scandalous.’
And one vented: ‘I’m guessing it’s time for me to move to different cameras.
‘That price increase is absolutely ridiculous no new features and 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, infuriated Prime Video customers by introducing adverts for all subscribers who don’t pay an extra fee of £2.99/month.
Amazon confirmed that these will be just as disruptive as regular television breaks; playing before, after, and during TV shows and movies.
Subscribers in America have already been seeing ads for a week and the update is set to roll out in more countries soon.
On social media, UK customers have met the change with outrage, with one saying: ‘I pay over £100 for prime as it is and will be cancelling it when my subscription runs out.’
WHAT IS RING AND WHY DID AMAZON BUY IT?
Amazon acquired home security startup Ring for a reported £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 homeowners to remotely chat to 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 homeowners to remotely chat to those standing at their door
Ring promotes its gadgets as a way to catch package thieves, a nuisance that Amazon has been looking to remedy.
Amazon late last year unveiled its own smart lock and camera combination called Amazon Key in a move into home security.
Key is designed to provide a secure and trackable way for packages to be delivered inside homes when people aren’t there.
Amazon has bought home security startup Ring for a reported £700 million ($1 billion)
Ring’s doorbell could work well with Amazon Key, which lets delivery personnel put packages inside a home to avoid theft or, in the case of fresh food, spoiling.
California-based Ring first caught the spotlight with a failed quest for funding about five years ago on reality television show Shark Tank.
Ring went on to win backing from the likes of billionaire Richard Branson and Amazon’s Alexa Fund.
This post first appeared on Dailymail.co.uk
