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TELEPHONES UK.org.uk for telephone enthusiasts

Call Charges

GPO/PO/BT Call Charges & Line Rental Charges

Cost for a 3 minute direct dial inland call made from a residential line

Local (L) Regional – calls up to 35 miles (a) National – calls over 35 miles (b)
Cheap Standard Peak Cheap Standard Peak Cheap Standard Peak
1973 0.25p 0.25p 1p 2p 4.5p 7.5p 4.5p 18p 22.5p
1974 0.5p 1.5p 1.5p 1.5p 5.63p 9p 4.5p 18p 27p
1975 0.7p 1.8p 2.7p 1.8p 7.2p 10.8p 5.4p 21.6p 32.4p
1982 5p 10p 10p 10p 20p 30p 20p 59p 74p
1983 5p 10p 10p 10p 20p 30p 20p 61p 76p
1984 5p 11p 11p 11p 22p 32p 22p 49p 65p
1985 6p 12p 12p 12p 29p 35p 23p 46p 63p
1986 5p 10p 15p 9p 26p 35p 18p 35p 44p
1987 5p 10p 15p 10p 30p 40p 20p 40p 51p
1990 5p 15p 15p 15p 30p 35p 25p 40p 51p
1993 5p 15p 20p 15p 25p 35p 25p 40p 50p
1994 5p 15p – 15p 25p – 25p 40p –
1998 5p 12p – 12p 24p – 12p 24p

Cheap Rate: Monday – Friday 6pm – 8am & all week-end

Standard Rate: Monday – Friday 8am-9am & 1pm – 6pm

Peak Rate: Monday – Friday, 9am – 1pm
(prior to 1975 the peak rate period was Monday – Friday, 9am – 12 noon).

The peak rate was abolished on 9th March 1994.

Quarterly Line Rental Charges (Exc. VAT)

 Year 
1974
1975
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1989
1990
1992
1993
1994
1998
 Residential Exclusive 
£6.25
£8.25
£13.50
£14.15
£15.15
£16.45
£13.95
£13.95
£18.35
£17.13
£18.46
£19.54
£20.16
£22.18
 Residential Shared 
£5.25
£7.25
£12.50
£13.15
£14.10
£15.30
£12.75
£12.75
£
£15.69
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
 Business Exclusive 
£7.25
£9.75
£21.00
£22.00
£23.50
£25.60
£22.55
£22.55
£24.83
£27.75
£29.90
£31.65
 Business Shared 
£6.25
£8.75
£21.00
£21.00
£22.45
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Until 1985 the line rental included the rental charge for the customer’s apparatus, after then the apparatus charge was added separately.