BT may cut some call costs

UK ENTRENCHED operator, BT, has said it is considering cutting the cost of some calls. This follows the announcement that the UK industry telecoms watchdog, Ofcom, will be removing its price capping on fixed lines.

The move will usher in an ad campaign from Ofcom with the strapline - 'From August 1st it's your call'. The idea is to get the general public to appreciate the fact that they can vote with their wallets and keep prices down that way.

But does the ordinary consumer really have much clout? How are they going to change the existing status quo whereby calls placed from landlines to the mobile phone networks are much more expensive that calls to fixed lines?

The move does give BT the flexibility to play with line rental charges. But as the financial press would say - prices may go up as well as going down.

It's good news for BSkyB which only the other day announced it was going heavily into the fixed line/broadband internet area. The timing of the Ofcom announcement will naturally draw attention to the fact that BSkyB is determined to compete head on with BT. µ

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