UpMyStreet guides: choosing a home phone company

With the average home phone bill at over £300 a year, choosing the right home phone company for your needs will save you money on your bills. By doing your homework and finding the right call package for you, you could be up to £140 better off a year.

How to get more from your home phone company:

1. How do you use your home phone?

   Think about what times of the day you use your home phone, and how long you spend on the call. If you're only making short calls in the evenings and at weekends, try and get reduced call rates at these times of the day. See if your home phone company is offering you a tariff reflecting your needs as they will have a range of services designed for different users.

2. Which numbers do you call?

   For those of us who use the phone to call expensive numbers, for example mobile phones or international calls, there may be a specialised company that offers special rates for these numbers. But if you're only calling your mum down the road or your favourite takeaway, look for companies who can offer cheap or free calls to your most dialled numbers.

3. What about special offers?

   Talk unlimited, free calls, phone for free - all these offers sound good, but you should check the small print for hidden costs. Free call deals often include a monthly fee, and line rental may also still be payable, so factor in these costs when you're doing your sums.

4. How much is your line rental?

   You need to bear in mind that your line rental is a fixed fee that's added to your telephone bill each month, so make sure you're with the best value option. BT isn't the only phone company offering this - TalkTalk, Toucan, Homecall and the Post Office all provide line rental services. And remember, you don't have to use the same home phone company for your call charges.

5. How do you make your payment?

   Check your bill to see if you can make savings by switching to direct debit or online payments. Many home phone companies offer a discount for doing this.

Compare and switch your home phone company

You've got nothing to lose by comparing your current phone company with others on the market using our impartial and easy to use comparison service. This will bring up results for the companies who can offer the best value package for you - based on the type of calls you make, how often and when you make them.

› Compare and switch your home phone