Tribunal rules BT can raise mobile rates

British Telecom is set to receive a multimillion pound windfall after a tribunal ruled that it could charge higher rates to mobile network operators for connecting 0845, 0870 and 0800 calls.

The Competition Appeal Tribunal upheld BT’s challenge to a decision by Ofcom, the media regulator, that it could not increase its call termination charges to mobile operators for so-called “non geographic” numbers. The ruling is likely to mean higher payments to BT and other wholesale landline network operators from mobile providers, unless they lower their charges to consumers.