Most landline-only customers set for cheaper bills after Ofcom review

BT customers who use only old-fashioned landlines, or who buy landline and broadband services from separate companies, are set to see their bills fall following a review by Ofcom.

At the end of last year the telecoms regulator launched a review into line rental prices, which have shot up in recent years despite the actual cost of providing a landline only service becoming cheaper.

On Tuesday they said bills would be cut by at least £5 a month for BT customers that have only a landline. Such users are often “elderly and vulnerable” and less likely to switch, according to Ofcom.

Sharon White, Ofcom chief executive, said:

Line rental has been going up, even as providers’ costs come down. This hurts people who rely on their landline the most, and are less likely to shop around for a better deal. We think that’s unacceptable.

Around 80 per cent of the UK’s 2.9m landline-only customers are with BT.