sherbert wrote on Nov 4
th, 2008 at 4:52pm:
… Mind you you could say that you are paying for the 'free' calls on the landline via the line rental. Nothing in this world is free. If it was the economy would be even in a worse state!!
Whilst it is true because all calls which are "inclusive" whether we are talking from landline or mobile have to be paid for by the telephone company retailing the calls, there are key differences.
Inclusive calls from landlines are "unlimited", although they may be limited to within a particular time period. Any "fair usage" policy is that high that in general terms, there is no finite limit on the number of minutes.
Mobile tariffs on the other hand have a limit on the number of minutes/texts and the price usually reflects this directly. What's more, outside of any minutes, the charges are usually broadly in line with that of pay as you go tariffs.
So the monthly fee the mobile providers like to call "line rental" does not actually reduce the cost of calls indefinately but for only a limited amount. It is therefore clear to see that the benefit received for paying this "line rental" is for the inclusive minutes and texts, handset and anything else.