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What is a call connection fee?

What is a call connection fee?

Dear Simon, I read recently that some home phone providers are putting up their call connection fees. What is a call connection fee and how much does it cost?

Best wishes,

Laura Gillard, Redhill, via email, Updated: Friday 9 April, 2010

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Our expert says...

Hi Laura, thanks for your email to Homephonechoices.co.uk.

Call connection fees, sometimes called call set-up fees or minimum call charges, are charged by all home phone providers, except Vonage.

These fees are charged for all calls made outside of your calling plan at a one-off cost - regardless of the calls duration. For example, if you are on an unlimited evening and weekend calls package with TalkTalk (www.talktalk.co.uk), every call you make during the day (i.e. outside of the evening and weekend period) will cost an additional 9.25p, as well as the cost of the call.

Recently, BT (www.bt.com), Direct Save Telecom (www.directsavetelecom.co.uk) and cable phone line provider Virgin Media (www.virginmedia.com) all increased their call connection fees.

Have a look at the table below to find out how much your provider charges for each call you make outside of your inclusive calls.

Call connection fees

The table below shows the UK’s biggest home phone providers and the one-off call connection fee they charge for all calls made outside of your calling plan:

Home phone provider Provider details Call connection fee
BT www.bt.com 9.9p
Direct Save Telecom www.directsavetelecom.co.uk 8.34p
Euphony Euphony review 5.9p
Madasafish www.madasafish.com 9.3p
Plusnet www.plus.net 9.3p
Post Office www.postoffice.co.uk 8.23p
Primus Saver Primus review 4p
Sky www.sky.com 9p
TalkTalk www.talktalk.co.uk 9.25p
Virgin Media www.virginmedia.com 11p
Vonage www.vonage.co.uk No call connection fee

Hope this helps you understand call connection fees Laura, and helps you save money on your landline bills.

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If you have a general switching or provider query please email us at ourexpert@homephonechoices.co.uk

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Comments

Is it possible to make 2 or more calls on a mobile and only pay the connection charge for the first call. - Apr 9 2010 8:40AM
angela gensavage, UK

I rang my son's mobile (he has a contract with Orange) from my pay as you go O2 mobile because he had asked me to contact him by letting his phone ring three times and hanging up and then he would call me back using his contract minutes. I let his phone ring three times and then hang up, and I was charged 40p! I am outraged and think this must surely be illegal? In my opinion it is theft as it cannot possibly be justified. - Apr 7 2010 10:42AM
I understand that most telephone suppliers charge a connection fee for calls but how is a connection fee defines as I have been charged by Virgin Media for calls that were unanswered when i have dialled my sons mobile and let it ring once in order to get him to call me back with his free mins. Virgin Media charge 9.75p when it rings and charge you 15p per minute even before the person answers. This is immoral surely - Jan 23 2010 3:38PM
Pete, West Midlands

what price are press 3 calls to connect to missed calls - Nov 9 2009 12:30PM
mike hughes, lichfield staffs

I am with aol for broadband and landline, would I be able to get a cheaper phone service with BT, with aol my bills are quite high and getting higher. - Nov 6 2009 10:10PM
alan harvey, louth lincolnshire uk