BT has announced it is to hike the cost of broadband and calls and begin charging TV customers £3.50 a month for BT Sport. Check if you can find a better deal elsewhere – if so, the good news is those affected can leave their BT contract penalty-free, or you can try to haggle down your bill. The telecoms giant, which is notifying about 10 million affected customers by letter from Friday 27 January, says the price of broadband and calls will change on 2 April 2017, while the BT Sport charges will apply from 1 August 2017. However, the price of line rental is being 'frozen' until the end of 2017 at least, and BT also plans to introduce automatic compensation where it fails "to deliver on service promises" later this year. The announcement signifies BT's third major price hike in just over 18 months, with broadband and landline call costs last increased in July 2016. For how to cut costs and other top pick deals see our Cheap Broadband and Digital TV Deals guides. Existing BT customers with broadband and line rental will soon only see a single charge for both services on their bill. Here's how prices are increasing (BT says the price of broadband for those on introductory/promotional deals won't change): BT is also hiking the cost of calls from 2 April – here's how: Bear in mind that providers accross the board have been hiking prices so there's little point simply leaving because you're annoyed. But if you can find a cheaper deal elsewhere (see the Cheap Broadband guide for help), the good news is those affected by the hikes WILL be able to escape their BT contract penalty-free. Under rules from regulator Ofcom, those who have taken out a line rental, broadband or mobile contract since 23 January 2014 can cancel their contract penalty-free if a provider ups its monthly prices mid-term and didn't warn you about the rise when you signed up. That means anyone with BT broadband (including all those with BT TV, as you need a BT broadband package to get it) or a BT landline can escape penalty free. If you get BT Sport via Sky TV (and don't have BT broadband) you'll have it on either a 30-day or 12-month contract – in either case BT says you'll be able to leave without penalty. To ensure you can leave penalty-free, you must let BT know you're leaving within 30 days of it giving you official notification of the price rises (which should arrive by letter). Sadly you won't be able to get a partial refund on your BT package if you paid upfront for a year, eg, if you bought the line rental saver package, and now want to leave your contract. Alternatively, if you're willing to stick with BT, this is a major chance to haggle a much better deal – especially as you'll have the right to leave penalty-free if they don't give you one. See our Haggle with BT guide for detailed tips, but for starters here are a few... BT isn't the only telecoms firm that's been putting prices up. Here's what some of the other major providers have done:
BT is increasing the cost of broadband and some calls, and is to begin charging TV customers for BT Sport. Around 10 million affected customers are being notified by letter of the changes to broadband and call costs effective 2 April 2017. BT Sport charges will take effect from 1 August 2017. Most of those affected will be able to escape their contracts without penalty under Ofcom rules, with BT saying it will let customers cancel free regardless. The company said that its new pricing structure would help reduce costs, but added that there was no guarantee that all customers who had been charged a higher price than they were entitled to, or whose contract terms