Landline charges

[Beenherebefore]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-35869222

No way are the providers planning to absorb around £18 per month.....the cost will be added to either voice call charges or broadband

[jonsie]

I read that this morning, the providers are 'invited' to talks. It really is quite ridiculous though in all fairness. I have Virginmedia and cable broadband. I really have no need for a landline. I'm ex-directory, no one has my home number and I have no earthly use for a landline but it is part of the contract with Virginmedia that I am forced to pay them around £15/month.

As you say, this is a big moneyspinner for broadband providers and no way will they accept the loss of enormous profits unless they get revenue back by other avenues. With mobile contracts now mostly including unlimited minutes it makes no sense to be compelled to have an unused landline.

[adamtemp64]

This will only increase the cost of broadband only deals.

The Isp's will still have to pay BT (openreach ) for the access to the only PSTN in the country to access the copper wires and Fiber network .

Unless ofcom grow some and stand up to the monopoly, but the network has to be maintained and that is what line rental used to be fore you always used to pay extra for calls etc until bundles came along .

Just my take

[Cleoriff]

I am not sure how this will affect me.  I am with BT and have their phone and broadband package. We have always had a landline phone. We went to NTL for a while and stayed with them until they became Virgin Media. Moved back to BT......(their prices and broadband were vastly superior at the time)

I doubt we will ever rid ourselves of our landline phone... even in this day and age.

[Bambino]

In order for me to get BT Sport I have to take their broadband and landline package and I think the charge is extortionate. I don't use my landline at all, except to call 0800 numbers (I know I can do that on my mobile now too), or to make calls on the weekend when the calls are free. I'm sure I have enough minutes on my mobile tariff that I don't even need to do that, but I may as well not waste minutes if I don't need to. I do, however agree with @adamtemp64 that if Ofcom forced the big Telcos to lower or abandon landline charges that they would just get around it by raising the broadband rates.

[Cleoriff]

I actually cancelled BT Sports as we have Sky TV with their sports package..so that saved £4 on the bill.  I have the cheaper rate international call tariff linked to my landline as well which suits us with the many friends we have abroad....

[Beenherebefore]

If it does go ahead then the viability of a 4G (or the future 5G/6G) only connection may become more realistic.

Now where have I read that before 

[Bambino]

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@Cleoriff wrote:

I actually cancelled BT Sports as we have Sky TV with their sports package..so that saved £4 on the bill.  I have the cheaper rate international call tariff linked to my landline as well which suits us with the many friends we have abroad....

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I would cancel BT Sports in a heartbeat @Cleoriff, but it's the only place I can get the ESPN network. Sky used to have it, but BT outbid them. If I switched my broadband to Sky (which I'm thinking of doing), I'd still have to pay BT for the sports channels, which really irks me. As far as international calls go, I just use Skype, as all my friends in the US have it, so it costs me zero to speak to them.

[Anonymous]

"A spokesmen for BT said: "Anyone using broadband uses a landline. I think the focus is more about ensuring clarity around charges when companies advertise their broadband packages."

That's about the size of it really  

I can't see there see being any significant change one way or the other, particularly as most broadband packages are heavily discounted anyway. Even when you're coming to the end of your contract, they'll want to retain your custom, and will always look to offer you the same kind of deal that tempted you in the first place. And if they can't, then you take your custom elsewhere.

[jonsie]

That may well be true of BT but the statement is not acceptable in my opinion.