BT to cover 95pc of the UK with fibre broadband by end of 2017

30 Jul 2015

BT this morning reported £4.2bn in revenues for the first quarter, up 2pc on last year. It plans to cover 95pc of the UK with fibre by 2017.

UK telecoms giant BT has revealed that it will work with the UK government to bring fibre broadband to 95pc of the country by the end of 2017.

CEO Gavin Patterson said during the company’s Q1 financial results that it currently reaches 80pc of all UK premises with fibre broadband.

BT this morning reported £4.2bn in revenues for the first quarter, up 2pc on last year.

Profits before tax were up 9pc to £694m.

“This is an exciting time at BT,” Patterson said. “We continue to invest heavily in our superfast fibre broadband network. It now reaches around 80pc of all UK premises and we will work with government to help take fibre broadband to 95pc of the country by the end of 2017. Our technical trials of ultrafast broadband using G.fast are progressing well; we’re on target to start large-scale customer trials this summer.

“Our mobile plans have got off to a good start with more than 100,000 consumer mobile customers signed up in the first three months. We’re also looking forward to completing our acquisition of EE, which will allow us to create a true UK digital champion, providing customers with greater choice and value and helping to deliver the UK’s connected future.

“We’re launching BT Sport Europe in the next few days, the new home of UEFA Champions League football, which is free for our BT TV customers. We are also leading the way on Ultra HD TV. Our BT Sport Ultra HD channel will be the first live sports channel in Europe offering picture quality four times that of normal high definition.

“We have also invested further in improving customer service and Openreach is running ahead of all 60 minimum service levels set by Ofcom for this year. And we are engaging with Ofcom as part of its Strategic Review of Digital Communications, which offers scope for deregulation and the potential to create a more level playing field in pay-TV,” Patterson said.

BT Ireland reports 6pc rise in revenues

BT Ireland reported that underlying revenues were up 6pc during the first quarter.

The results were driven by an increase in business sales, particularly in terms of deals with large global multinationals based here.

In particular, revenues were driven by ICT and voice sales.

BT Sport’s average daily audience figures increased 51pc in Ireland during the first quarter.

“Today’s results signal a strong start to the year for our all-island operation with both revenue and profit growth in a very competitive market,” said CEO Colm O’Neill.

“In the Republic of Ireland, we’ve seen significant growth in our business sales revenue as Ireland’s expanding multinational market continues to seek out BT’s unique global networking capability.

“In Northern Ireland the fibre broadband market continues to grow steadily with around 220,000 homes and businesses now enjoying high-speed fibre broadband access,” O’Neill said.

BT Tower in London image via Shutterstock

Amended on Friday 31 July at 12pm: we incorrectly named BT’s CEO as Chris Patterson, it is in fact Gavin Patterson.

John Kennedy is a journalist who served as editor of Silicon Republic for 17 years

editorial@siliconrepublic.com