Court Dismisses Major Lawsuit Against BT Over Alleged Overcharging

A lawsuit claiming British Telecom (BT) overcharged millions for fixed telephone lines was dismissed by London's Court of Appeal. Originally led by Justin Le Patourel, the case accused BT of excessive pricing. Despite Ofcom's intervention, BT maintained its innocence, with the court supporting its stance.

In a significant legal showdown, London's Court of Appeal has rejected an attempt to reinstate a massive lawsuit against British Telecom (BT) for alleged overcharging.

The case, led by Justin Le Patourel representing about 3.7 million BT customers, claimed that the telecom giant had charged excessively for fixed telephone lines from 2009 to 2017. Despite initial rulings suggesting a need for price adjustments, regulators found the claims unsubstantiated.

The lawsuit sought to hold BT accountable for prices deemed unfair until Ofcom intervened. However, the court concurred with BT, asserting that their pricing strategy was justified, as the Competition Appeal Tribunal ruled in favor of BT last December.

(With inputs from agencies.)