BT denies 9% line rental hike is due to sport channel launch

[dutchman]

BT has denied that an increase in line rental is linked to its new sports channel.



The telecom giant has increased its Line Rental Saver Plan, which allows customers to pay for a year upfront from £129 to £141.

A 9% price rise in the saver scheme comes as the group prepares to launch BT Sport in August. Broadband customers will get the channels for free, with live Premier League coverage at the helm.

A statement from the company said: "Line Rental Saver continues to offer a generous discount of 23% on the price of our standard line rental, saving customers £44 a year.

"This increase, which is the first for 14 months, does not affect existing Line Rental Saver customers.

"Customers who take standard line rental from BT will benefit from our price freeze until 2014."

A spokeswoman also told The Independent that there was "no link whatsoever between these price changes and our investment in sports rights".

BT spent £738 million acquiring the rights to live Premier League games in June 2012.

BT Sport 1, BT Sport 2 and ESPN are among the group's offerings, which will be fronted by a number of big names including Rio Ferdinand, Jake Humphrey and Clare Balding.