Esat BT half year revenues increase 25pc


11 Nov 2004

In the six months ending 30 September, Ireland’s second largest telco Esat BT reported revenue grew by 25pc to reach €173m, compared with €138m last year. The company said that despite a challenging telecoms market in Ireland, over the course of the half year it secured a number of high profile business contracts including Bank of Scotland, Barclaycard, Brown Thomas and EDS.

The company, which has 900 employees in the Republic, said that in the months ahead broadband, voice over IP and mobility would be key areas of focus for the company. Esat BT’s CEO Bill Murphy said that the renewal of the Government’s virtual private network contract next year presented the company with exciting opportunities in the public sector.

Murphy said of the half year results: “Despite tough market conditions, the transformation of our business continues to accelerate and we are seeing good growth in new wave revenues. As a strong Irish company with global reach, we have become the preferred partner for multi-site corporates seeking a seamless solution to their increasingly complex communications needs.”

Murphy said Esat BT had launched a number of major initiatives as part of its strategy to evolve the business and increase the company’s footprint in the residential and business markets. “We’ve been the industry driver of single billing for over two years so that customers can enjoy the benefits of a liberalised phone market. As a full service provider, Esat BT can capitalise on the pent up demand from consumers and businesses that want an alternative and prefer to deal with a single supplier for their entire communications needs.”

The company has also launched EsatBT.com, their online business model designed to improve customer satisfaction while increasing operational savings. “By moving our business online, we are available to our customers 24 hours a day. Best of all, our operational savings are passed on to consumers who enjoy discounts of up to 41pc by managing phone and internet costs online.”

By John Kennedy