Telecom is adjusting its standard residential line rental from March 2006, but advise that this price increase will not apply to customers on Anytime, Budget Link and 60s Plus plans.

The standard residential line rental will increase by up to NZ$2.35 a month.

According to the company, the Budget Link and 60s Plus plans offer lower price options for people with budgeting problems or older people. Plans such as Anytime have been successively lowering the costs of calling, and Telecom sees customised plans becoming increasingly popular in the future.

“The overall cost of telecommunications is continuing to come down. National toll call prices are now 15% lower than they were three years ago, and international calling is 30% cheaper,” says Telecom’s head of Consumer Marketing Victoria Crone.

The residential line rental increase is the first increase in two years and reflects steadily rising prices over that time. The standard monthly HomeLine rental will increase from NZ$39.85 to NZ$42.20, except in the Wellington 04 calling region and Christchurch city and most suburbs where the price will rise from NZ$2.85 to NZ$34.80 per month. The increases will apply to Secondline and HomeLine Economy.

The standard optional wiring maintenance fee is to increase from NZ$2.24 to NZ$2.53 a month.