EE will double the cost of some calls from next month - and it won't let you leave without a penalty

  • Calls from the UK to Ireland and Channel Islands rising to £1, from 50p, per min
  • Calls to countries not in the European Union will rise from £1.60 to £2 per minute
  • EE last increased prices for most of its customers in March this year
  • It says it needs to hike prices to raise funds to invest in its network 

By REBECCA GOODMAN FOR THISISMONEY.CO.UK

Updated:

Millions of EE mobile phone customers will see charges rise for a number of out-of-bundle charges from June 25.

These will affect anyone who goes over their monthly bundle and those using services not included in their monthly mobile package.

Some of the biggest hikes include calls from the UK to Ireland or the Channel Islands rising from 50p per minute to £1 and calls to the EU rising to £1.50 from £1 per minute.

High costs: Calls from the UK to Ireland and Channel Islands rising to £1, from 50p, per min

High costs: Calls from the UK to Ireland and Channel Islands rising to £1, from 50p, per min

Customers who don't have one of EE's international calling packs will see the price of international calls rise.

Calls to countries not in the European Union will rise from £1.60 to £2 per minute while texts are rising to 55p, from 35p per minute.

Those who go over their monthly bundle will also see their prices increase with calls to standard UK lines rising to 55p per minute, from 50p.

Calls to numbers starting in 08, 08 and 118 are rising to 55p per minute, from 50p per minute and the cost of picture messages is rising to 55p, from 50p.

An EE spokesperson said: 'We are contacting some of our pay monthly mobile customers to inform them of changes we are making to the cost of calls made outside of their allowances from 25 June, 2018. 

'We don't take the decision to increase prices lightly, and this is the first increase to mobile out of bundle costs since 2016, and even after these changes our pricing is comparable to other mobile operators. We're committed to providing our customers the best experience, service and value, and these small changes help us to continue to invest in the services we provide to our customers.'

Rising costs: EE last increased prices for most of its customers in March this year

Rising costs: EE last increased prices for most of its customers in March this year

Some call costs are rising by 100 per cent including those to Ireland from the UK

Some call costs are rising by 100 per cent including those to Ireland from the UK

The provider is allowed to increase its prices in line with inflation according to Ofcom rules - if the rise is written into the terms and conditions of these contracts, which it is.

Only those customers 'with material detriment' will be allowed to leave. This applies to customers whose total bill value after adding the new out of bundle allowance rates, exceeds five per cent of their bill value.

But those who are free to leave are likely to find a better deal by switching providers given that the cheapest prices are usually reserved for new customers.

This is the second time this year the mobile phone giant has hiked prices, after pushing them up by 4.1 per cent on 30 March. 

Customers with a pay monthly mobile or mobile broadband contract who joined EE or upgraded after 26 March 2014 will have seen their prices rise.

Three also increased prices earlier this year, by 4 per cent in February, based on January's retail prices index rate of inflation. O2 and Vodafone mobile customers also saw a price hike of 4 per cent from April.

 

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