BT CARRIED out “abusive” pricing practices against landline customers who should be compensated between £300 and £400 each, the Competition Appeal Tribunal heard today.

Collective Action on Land Lines (Call) founder Justin Le Patourel has launched a class action claim against the firm for £1.3 billion in compensation.

His counsel Ronit Kreisberger KC accused BT of charging customers “excessive and unfair” prices for stand alone landlines and calls in violation of its special responsibility as a dominant firm under section 18 of the Competition Act.

She said: “One of the features of BT’s singular position is that it’s inherited a legacy base of landline customers.

“Those are customers for whom BT didn’t have to compete to acquire them, they were a boon of its monopoly past.”

BT was subject to regulatory constraints on its conduct as incumbent, which included price control, but was freed from these “regulatory shackles” between 2006 and 2009, it was heard.

The hearing continues.