Sky customers to be hit with line rental price hikes

The telecoms giant is upping line rental by £1/month from 1 December, taking prices from £15.40/month to £16.40/month (see our Cheap Home Phones guide for the best buys).

The following prices will also increase from 1 December:

• Sky voicemail 1571 will now cost £1/month. It's currently free. Sky says if customers no longer want this service they can stop it by either calling Sky or by going to the Sky website. 

• The connection fee for the majority of non-inclusive calls will increase from 15p/call to 15.9p/call.

• Non-inclusive calls to UK landlines will increase from 8.9p/minute to 9.5p/minute.

• Calls to UK mobiles will increase from 12p/minute at all times to 12.7p/minute at all times.

Sky says no other prices are rising and that its broadband and call plan subscription charges will remain the same. It adds that these prices have been frozen for more than four years.  

The provider upped some of its TV packages by up to £30/year on 1 September (see the Sky TV customers face £30/year price rise MSE News story).

A spokesperson for Sky says: "We always aim to offer great value and our line rental is lower than BT. Sky's even better value when customers also take our great value broadband. Sky Broadband Unlimited customers have paid the same low price for the last four years."

Can I leave my contract penalty free?

Sky wouldn't tell us how many customers are affected, but anyone within their minimum contract period, which is generally anyone within the first year of their contract, can leave without having to pay an early exit fee.

To do this you need to call Sky within 30 days of getting your price change letter.

Customers outside their minimum contract period are not charged early exit fees.