BT call costs rise by 40 per cent in a year
Telecoms giant BT is set to increase the cost of daytime calls in the UK again this year, leaving some customers paying 40 per cent more than they did just one year ago.
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In April last year, the per minute cost of a UK call was 5.9p but after a number of further increases, that figure is expected to hit 7.6p at the end of April.
Line rental will rise for the third time in 12 months and the call connection fee is also soaring from 9.3p early last year to 12.5p come April.
Other services such as broadband are also subject to price increases, detailed in an "important price update" notice delivered with the most recent round of BT bills.
For consumers already struggling with fuel price rises and cost of living increases, the latest BT price hikes are likely to push more and more customers to sign up for their all-inclusive 'anytime' call packages - much like a mobile phone contract, that means a set monthly fee in return for free calls to most UK landlines.
The company's competitors are expected to follow with price increases of their own.
Michael Phillips from homephonechoices.co.uk, told the Daily Mail: "We are very disappointed that BT is raising the cost of its monthly line rental for the third time in the space of 12 months.
"Other suppliers will inevitably fall into BT's slip stream, as was demonstrated with repeated copy cat price increases in 2010. This latest price increase will do little to ease the rising cost of living that UK consumers are currently facing."
He advised: "Customers wanting to stay with BT should review their calling patterns and seriously consider switching to an anytime calling plan."
But while many of us will increasingly turn to free internet calls or mobile phone deals, pensioners and families who rely on their landline service look like being hit once again.
What do you think? Can BT justify the price rises or are they just pressuring customers into signing up for a monthly package? Leave your comments below...
