Free plans price hike for broadband

INTERNET service provider Free has warned of a likely €5 rise in the price of broadband by the end of the year.

The second biggest ISP in France, behind Orange, says the price rise to €35 a month is necessary because of increased taxation and a long-running legal battle with a consumer watchdog which could force costs up.

UFC Que Choisir took action against Free last year over a series of practices that it says are illegal, such as charging users €0.34 a minute to call the technical support helpline and a refusal to send paper bills to customers.

A mediator has been appointed to deal with the dispute, but the case could return to court in the summer if an agreement is not reached.

Free parent company Iliad says the consumer group's demands will force up the price of broadband for other providers as well - a claim described by UFC Que Choisir as "absurd and ridiculous".