Starting October 1, 2025, Deutsche Telekom will increase monthly fees for a range of legacy landline contracts that do not include internet service.
According to consumer portal Verivox, customers with these outdated plans should carefully consider switching — either to modern internet-based packages or to mobile contracts.
The price adjustment affects long-standing tariffs such as Call Plus, Call Start, Call Time, Call Basic, and Call Comfort.
These are classic voice-only services that Telekom has not actively marketed for many years.
How much more will customers pay?
From October, affected subscribers will face increases of €2.50 to €3 per month, meaning annual additional costs of up to €36.
Telekom justifies the hike with declining customer numbers and rising expenses in maintaining outdated infrastructure.
Currently, these tariffs allow users to plug a landline phone directly into the wall socket without the need for a router, even though Germany’s fixed network has long since migrated to IP-based technology.
Mobile offers far cheaper alternatives
Telecommunications expert Jörg Schamberg suggests that many customers could save considerably by switching to mobile plans.
Allnet-flat mobile tariffs are already available in Germany for as little as €5 per month, while the cheapest Telekom landline tariff will now cost €23.95.
That translates into a potential saving of nearly €19 per month or €228 per year.
Even within Telekom’s own mobile network, users can often halve their monthly costs compared to outdated landline contracts.
Mobile flat rates also include free calls to mobile networks, whereas traditional landline tariffs often still charge €0.19 per minute for mobile calls.
In some of the oldest contracts, even landline-to-landline calls are billed separately.
Devices that feel like landlines but run on mobile
For those unwilling to switch to smartphones, Schamberg points out that there are tabletop telephones designed to look and operate like traditional fixed-line devices, but which use a SIM card on mobile networks.
These typically cost under €100 and could offer a familiar experience without high monthly bills.
Important tip: Special cancellation right
Because this is a price increase, customers benefit from a special right of termination. That means anyone affected can cancel their contract early and switch providers without penalty.
