BT hikes prices for every customer to pay for £1billion bid to break into TV sport Monthly packages to increase by up to 6.5 per cent Penalty fees for leaving contract early to rise by as much as 30 per cent BT has splashed large sums on its ambitious scheme to rival Sky Comes as telecoms giant accused by MPs of ripping off taxpayers New signing: Clare Balding is one of the famous faces to have joined BT's sports coverage BT is bringing in inflation-busting price rises after its £1billion-plus move into sports TV. The telecoms giant's ten million customers will see their monthly packages increase by up to 6.5 per cent from January 4. "Every customer will be affected by this," admitted a company spokesman. Penalty fees for leaving a contract early are due to rise by as much as 30 per cent, and even the charge for dialling the Speaking Clock will go up by 6.3 per cent. Standard line rental, which is paid on top of any phone or broadband package, will rise by 3.5 per cent from £15.45 to £15.99 a month. The annual inflation rate is 2.7 per cent at present. The company has boasted that its new sports service will be free for anyone already getting their internet connection through BT. It claims a million people have already signed up to the service. But all BT customers will end up financing the project through the price rises - even though the channels are free to some users of BT's arch-rival Virgin. BT has splashed large sums on its ambitious scheme to rival Sky in offering top-flight football and other sports. As well as paying £1billion for the rights to show a host of Premier League football games and rugby matches over the next three years, the company is thought to have spent tens of millions of pounds on a new studio and a host of pundits. BT has splashed large sums on its ambitious scheme to rival Sky in offering top-flight football and other sports It has hired presenter Clare Balding, who will host her own show, as well as forking out for the opinions of the world's most expensive footballer, Gareth Bale. BT has taken over parts of the Olympic Park in Stratford, East London, and has moved into the media centre used to broadcast the games. It refused to say how much it has spent on this. The company defended the move, saying it has spent £2.5billion rolling out fibre-optic internet cables across the country. But it comes the day after BT was accused by MPs of ripping off taxpayers and giving consumers "a raw deal" after winning every government contract to install broadband in rural areas. BT said: "These price changes are not linked to the launch of BT Sport. We revise our prices every year in what is an intensely competitive market and whilst some go up, others come down. BT is also forking out for the opinions of the world's most expensive footballer, Gareth Bale