Sky ( Sky Broadband ) has criticised BT's forthcoming hike in the price of standard phone line rental, which is due to go up from £13.90 a month on 3rd December 2011 to £14.60 (original news). According to Sky this could leave UK consumers paying an extra £95 million a year, unless of course they take one of BT's longer contract bundles.

Sky (BSkyB) are keen to point out that their own alternative Sky Line Rental product is £2.35 cheaper (i.e. £12.25 per month) than BT's standard monthly line rental. The provider has also frozen the price of all its subscription products until "at least" September 2012.


Not content with sticking the boot in over line rental, Sky also claims to offer "genuinely unlimited downloads" on its top-end Sky Broadband Unlimited package. Furthermore they now claim to be "the fastest-growing home communications company in Britain over the past four years".

In separate news Sky are also reintroducing their £100 Marks and Spencer Gift Vouchers, which can be had by taking any one of their various triple-play broadband, tv and phone service bundles from £20 per month (+Sky Line Rental at £12.25 a month). These all include free calls and a free Sky+ or Sky+ HD box with a free wireless broadband router.