SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 6-K
Report of Foreign Private Issuer
Pursuant to Rule 13a-16 or 15d-16 of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
04 May 2004
BT Group plc
(Translation of registrant's name into English)
BT Centre
81 Newgate Street
London
EC1A 7AJ
England
(Address of principal executive offices)
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual
reports under cover Form 20-F or Form 40-F.
Form 20-F..X... Form 40-F.....
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant by furnishing the
information contained in this Form is also thereby furnishing the
information to the Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
Yes ..... No ..X..
If "Yes" is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the
registrant in connection with Rule 12g3-2(b): 82- ________
Enclosures: 1. Offer Update announcement made on 5 April 2004
2. Transcomm Offer Closed announcement made on 13 April 2004
3. Director Shareholding announcement made on 16 April 2004
4. Director Shareholding announcement made on 16 April 2004
5. BT Scotland appointment announcement made on 20 April 2004
6. Transaction in Own Shares announcement made on 21 April 2004
7. Director Shareholding announcement made on 22 April 2004
8. Blocklisting Interim Review announcement made on 22 April 2004
9. Statement re Broadband announcement made on 27 April 2004
10. Broadband Migration announcement made on 28 April 2004
11. Ofcom Strategic Review announcement made on 28 April 2004
Enclosure 1
BT GROUP PLC
OFFER FOR TRANSCOMM PLC
Not for release, publication or distribution in or into the USA, Canada or
Japan.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
5 April 2004
British Telecommunications plc
Recommended cash offer
for
Transcomm plc
Extension of the Offer
On 15 March 2004 British Telecommunications plc ("BT") announced that the Offer
had become unconditional in all respects. By 3.00 p.m. on 5 April 2004 valid
acceptances of the Offer had been received in respect of a total of 95,443,868
Transcomm Shares, representing approximately 91.77 per cent. of the issued share
capital of Transcomm.
The Offer has been extended and will remain open for acceptance until 3.00pm on
13 April 2004.
Transcomm Shareholders who have not accepted the Offer are strongly encouraged
to complete and return their Form of Acceptance (whether or not their Transcomm
Shares are held in CREST) as soon as possible to be received by post or (during
normal business hours) by hand by Lloyds TSB Registrars plc, Princess House, 1
Suffolk Lane, London EC4R 0AX.
On 23 January 2004, BT announced that it had received irrevocable undertakings
to accept the Offer in respect of 49,652,107 Transcomm Shares, representing
approximately 48.3 per cent. of the issued share capital of Transcomm.
Neither BT, nor any person acting, or deemed to be acting, in concert with BT
for the purpose of the Offer owned, or controlled, any Transcomm Shares or any
rights over any Transcomm Shares immediately prior to the commencement of the
Offer Period. Neither BT, nor any person acting, or deemed to be acting, in
concert with BT for the purposes of the Offer has acquired or (other than
pursuant to the Offer) agreed to acquire any Transcomm Shares or (save for the
irrevocable undertakings to accept the Offer referred to in the announcement by
BT on 23 January 2004) any rights over any Transcomm Shares during the Offer
Period. None of the valid acceptances referred to above have been received from
persons acting in concert with BT.
Words and expressions defined in the offer document dated 7 February 2004 have
the same meaning in this announcement, unless the context requires otherwise.
The directors of British Telecommunications plc accept responsibility for the
information contained in this announcement. To the best of the knowledge and
belief of the directors of British Telecommunications plc (who have taken all
reasonable care to ensure that such is the case), the information contained in
this announcement is in accordance with the facts and does not omit anything
likely to affect the import of such information.
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, which is authorised and regulated in the United
Kingdom by the Financial Services Authority for designated investment business,
is acting exclusively for BT Group plc and British Telecommunications plc and
for no one else in relation to the Offer and will not be responsible to anyone
other than BT Group plc and British Telecommunications plc for providing the
protections afforded to clients of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP or for giving
advice in relation to the Offer or any other matter referred to in this
document.
The Offer is not being made, directly or indirectly, in or into, or by use of
the mails of, or by any means or instrumentality (including, without limitation,
electronic mail, facsimile transmission, telex or telephone) or interstate or
foreign commerce of, or any facilities of a national securities exchange of, the
USA, or in or into Canada or Japan, and, subject to certain exceptions, the
Offer is not capable of acceptance by any such use, means or instrumentality or
facilities or from or within the USA, Canada or Japan. Accordingly, this
announcement is not being made in the USA, Canada or Japan and copies of this
announcement are not being, and must not be, mailed or otherwise forwarded,
transmitted, distributed or sent in, into or from the USA, Canada or Japan.
Doing so may render invalid any purported acceptance of the Offer. Any person
(including, without limitation, nominees, trustees or custodians) who are
overseas persons or who would, or otherwise intend to, forward this announcement
to any jurisdiction outside the United Kingdom or to overseas persons should
seek appropriate professional advice before taking any action.
Enclosure 2
BT GROUP PLC
OFFER FOR TRANSCOMM PLC
Not for release, publication or distribution in or into the USA, Canada or
Japan.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
13 April 2004
British Telecommunications plc
Recommended cash offer
for
Transcomm plc
Compulsory acquisition procedures
On 15 March 2004 British Telecommunications plc ("BT") announced that the Offer
had become unconditional in all respects. By 3.00 p.m. on 13 April 2004 valid
acceptances of the Offer had been received in respect of a total of 97,737,688
Transcomm Shares, representing approximately 93.91 per cent. of the issued share
capital of Transcomm. The Offer is now closed and is no longer available for
acceptance.
Having received valid acceptances for the Offer in respect of over 90 per cent.
in value of the Transcomm Shares to which the Offer relates, BT intends to give
notice to those Transcomm Shareholders who have not accepted the Offer that it
will compulsorily acquire their Transcomm Shares by applying sections 428 to
430F of the Companies Act.
On 23 January 2004, BT announced that it had received irrevocable undertakings
to accept the Offer in respect of 49,652,107 Transcomm Shares, representing
approximately 48.3 per cent. of the issued share capital of Transcomm.
Neither BT, nor any person acting, or deemed to be acting, in concert with BT
for the purpose of the Offer owned, or controlled, any Transcomm Shares or any
rights over any Transcomm Shares immediately prior to the commencement of the
Offer Period. Neither BT, nor any person acting, or deemed to be acting, in
concert with BT for the purposes of the Offer has acquired or (other than
pursuant to the Offer) agreed to acquire any Transcomm Shares or (save for the
irrevocable undertakings to accept the Offer referred to in the announcement by
BT on 23 January 2004) any rights over any Transcomm Shares during the Offer
Period. None of the valid acceptances referred to above have been received from
persons acting in concert with BT.
Words and expressions defined in the offer document dated 7 February 2004 have
the same meaning in this announcement, unless the context requires otherwise.
The directors of British Telecommunications plc accept responsibility for the
information contained in this announcement. To the best of the knowledge and
belief of the directors of British Telecommunications plc (who have taken all
reasonable care to ensure that such is the case), the information contained in
this announcement is in accordance with the facts and does not omit anything
likely to affect the import of such information.
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, which is authorised and regulated in the United
Kingdom by the Financial Services Authority for designated investment business,
is acting exclusively for BT Group plc and British Telecommunications plc and
for no one else in relation to the Offer and will not be responsible to anyone
other than BT Group plc and British Telecommunications plc for providing the
protections afforded to clients of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP or for giving
advice in relation to the Offer or any other matter referred to in this
document.
Enclosure 3
SCHEDULE 11
NOTIFICATION OF INTERESTS OF DIRECTORS AND CONNECTED PERSONS
1) Name of company
BT Group plc
2) Name of Director
Sir Christopher Bland
Ben Verwaayen
Ian Livingston
Pierre Danon
Andy Green
Paul Reynolds
3) Please state whether notification indicates that it is in respect
of holding of the shareholder name in 2 above or in respect of a non-beneficial
interest or in the case of an individual holder if it is a holding of that
person's spouse or children under the age of 18 or in respect of a
non-beneficial interest.
Adjustment in technical interest of the above directors
4) Name of the registered holder(s) and, if more than one holder,
the number of shares held by each of them (if notified)
Halifax Corporate Trustees Ltd
5) Please state whether notification relates to a person(s)
connected with the Director named in 2 above and identify the connected person
(s)
n/a
6) Please state the nature of the transaction. For PEP transactions
please indicated whether general/single company PEP and if discretionary/non
discretionary
Adjustment in technical interest of the above directors
7) Number of shares/amount of stock acquired:
Recovery of 10,446 BT Group shares by Halifax Corporate Trustees Limited as
Trustee of the BT Group Employee Share Investment Plan from awards made to
non-eligible individuals.
8) Percentage of issued class
n/a
9) Number of shares/amount of stock disposed
n/a
10) Percentage of issued class
n/a
11) Class of security
Ordinary shares of 5p each
12) Price per share
n/a
13) Date of transaction
16 April 2004
14) Date Company informed
16 April 2004
15) Total holding following this notification
n/a
16) Total percentage holding of issued class following this
notification
n/a
If a director has been granted options by the company please complete the
following details (17 - 22)
17) Date of grant
n/a
18) Period during which or date on which exercisable
n/a
19) Total amount paid (if any) for grant of the option
n/a
20) Description of shares or debentures involved: class, number
n/a
21) Exercise price (if fixed at time of grant) or indication that
price is to be fixed at time of exercise
n/a
22) Total number of shares or debentures over which options held
following this notification
No change
23) Any additional information
The above named Directors have technical interests, as at 16 April 2004 under
Schedule 13 of the Companies Act as follows:
- A technical interest, together with all employees of BT Group plc in
152,310 Ordinary Shares held by the Trustee of the BT Group Employee Share
Investment Plan, Halifax Corporate Trustees Limited;
- A technical interest, together with all employees of BT Group plc in
30,463,435 Ordinary Shares held by Ilford Trustees (Jersey) Limited in
respect of contingent awards under executive share plans;
24) Name of contact and telephone number for queries
John Challis 020 7356 4086
25) Name of signature or authorised company official responsible for
making this notification
John Challis
Date of Notification: 16 April 2004
End
Enclosure 4
SCHEDULE 11
NOTIFICATION OF INTERESTS OF DIRECTORS AND CONNECTED PERSONS
1) Name of company
BT Group plc
2) Name of Director
Paul Reynolds
3) Please state whether notification indicates that it is in respect of
holding of the shareholder name in 2 above or in respect of a non-beneficial
interest or in the case of an individual holder if it is a holding of that
person's spouse or children under the age of 18 or in respect of a
non-beneficial interest.
Director in 2) above
4) Name of the registered holder(s) and, if more than one holder, the
number of shares held by each of them (if notified)
Halifax Corporate Trustees Limited (as Trustee of the BT Group Employee Share
Investment Plan).
5) Please state whether notification relates to a person(s)
connected with the Director named in 2 above and identify the connected person
(s)
n/a
6) Please state the nature of the transaction. For PEP transactions
please indicated whether general/single co PEP and if discretionary/non
discretionary
Monthly purchase of shares under the terms of the BT Group Employee Share
Investment Plan.
7) Number of shares/amount of stock acquired:
Purchase of 69 shares at 180.25p per share.
8) Percentage of issued class
n/a
9) Number of shares/amount of stock disposed
n/a
10) Percentage of issued class
n/a
11) Class of security
Ordinary shares of 5p each
12) Price per share
180.25p
13) Date of transaction
16 April 2004
14) Date Company informed
16 April 2004
15) Total holding following this notification
Paul Reynolds:
1. 46,892 ordinary shares - personal holding;
2. 154,140 ordinary shares under BT Incentive Share Plan - contingent
award;
3. 156,687 shares under BT Group Deferred Bonus Plan;
4. 11,999 shares under BT Executive Share Plan - contingent award;
5. Options over 4,555 shares under BT Group Employee Sharesave Scheme;
6. Options over 1,457,124 shares under BT Group Global Share Option Plan.
16) Total percentage holding of issued class following this
notification
n/a
If a director has been granted options by the company please complete the
following boxes
17) Date of grant
n/a
18) Period during which or date on which exercisable
n/a
19) Total amount paid (if any) for grant of the option
n/a
20) Description of shares or debentures involved: class, number
n/a
21) Exercise price (if fixed at time of grant) or indication that
price is to be fixed at time of exercise
n/a
22) Total number of shares or debentures over which options held
following this notification
n/a
23) Any additional information
The above named Director has a technical interest, as at 16 April 2004 under
Schedule 13 of the Companies Act as follows:
- A technical interest, together with all employees of BT Group plc in
152,310 Ordinary Shares held by the Trustee of the BT Group Employee Share
Investment Plan, Halifax Corporate Trustees Limited;
- A technical interest, together with all employees of BT Group plc in
30,463,435 Ordinary Shares held by Ilford Trustees (Jersey) Limited in respect
of contingent awards under executive share plans;
24) Name of contact and telephone number for queries
John Challis, 020 7356 4086
25) Name of signature or authorised company official responsible for
making this notification
John Challis
Date of Notification: 16 April 2004
End
Enclosure 5
20 April 2004
For immediate release
BT APPOINTS IAIN ROBERTSON AS NEW CHAIRMAN OF ITS SCOTTISH BOARD
Scottish banker Iain Robertson is announced today as the new chairman of the
board of BT Scotland.
He is currently non-executive chairman and a former chief executive of the Royal
Bank of Scotland's corporate banking and financial markets division, which is
responsible for all corporate banking activities across the group.
He replaces, in June, Dr Iain Anderson who has been on the board since the
inception of BT Scotland in July 1998. He took over as chairman in January 2000
following the retirement of Doug Riley, director and chairman BT Scotland.
Sir Christopher Bland, chairman of BT, welcomed Iain Robertson to the BT
Scotland board and thanked Iain Anderson for his much valued contribution.
He said: "Since the creation of BT Scotland the communications industry has
experienced considerable turbulence and change; throughout this time Iain
Anderson has provided steady and experienced leadership. Under his chairmanship
BT Scotland's strategic focus has been firmly on improving customer satisfaction
and extending high-speed internet links.
"He leaves us at a time when broadband exchange coverage has increased from
almost nil to more than 75 per cent of the country, with Scotland playing a
leading role as the test bed for trials of new technologies to bring broadband
to rural and remote communities.
"Iain Robertson's wide and varied experience in the public and private sectors
will help us to move forward to the goal of 100 per cent broadband exchange
availability by the end of 2005, with partnerships between the public sector and
industry integral to this aim."
Iain Robertson's priorities will be to ensure the commitment to broadband is
delivered, enable the roll-out of new services using the high-speed technology
and to continue improvement to quality of service.
Iain Robertson said: " The commitment to making broadband available across
Scotland provides the backbone for radical change to the development of the
Scottish economy. The development of a knowledge based society and brand new
delivery channels for goods and services offer great potential to everyone in
Scotland to participate in these changes. I have been impressed by BT's
commitment to and investment in these initiatives alongside partners in the
public sector."
Iain Anderson, who also sat on the main board of BT, said: " I feel privileged
to have been part of the BT team for the last ten years. There have been
challenges galore and never ending excitement at the pace of change in our
industry, with the opportunity to contribute in a positive way to Scotland's
future prosperity. I am delighted that Iain Robertson is taking over from me and
wish him well in the days ahead."
Iain Robertson joined The Royal Bank of Scotland Group in 1992 as managing
director, Corporate and Institutional Banking, from NatWest where he was deputy
chief executive and group finance director of County NatWest Limited.
He led the creation of new businesses in acquisition finance, structured,
project and leveraged finance and in development and mezzanine capital.
Under his management the Royal Bank became a leading player in corporate banking
in the UK and in 1998 he was appointed chief executive of the newly constituted
UK Bank, covering retail, corporate and institutional banking businesses.
Following the acquisition of NatWest he headed what is now the UK's largest
corporate bank, providing a full range of lending, risk management and
specialised services to corporates and institutions in the UK and worldwide.
A qualified chartered accountant, Iain was educated at Jordanhill College and
Glasgow University. He previously worked in the civil service, with posts in
the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Energy before moving
to the Scottish Office. He was subsequently appointed director of Locate in
Scotland and then chief executive of the Scottish Development Agency.
He is married with four children - two sons and twin daughters - and hobbies
include golf, music and art.
For further information please contact Mitch Reid or Anna Steven at the BT
Scotland Press Office on our 24-hour number 08457 262624. Pictures available by
e-mail.
Enclosure 6
Wednesday, 21 April 2004
BT GROUP PLC
TRANSACTION IN OWN SHARES
BT Group plc announces that it has today transferred to participants in its
employees share schemes 259 ordinary shares at a price of 154 pence per share.
The transferred shares were all formerly held as treasury shares.
Following the above transfer, BT Group plc holds 44,121,225 ordinary shares as
treasury shares. The total number of ordinary shares in issue (excluding shares
held as treasury shares) is 8,590,507,813.
Enclosure 7
SCHEDULE 11
NOTIFICATION OF INTERESTS OF DIRECTORS AND CONNECTED PERSONS
1) Name of company
BT Group plc
2) Name of Director
Sir Christopher Bland
Pierre Danon
Andy Green
Paul Reynolds
3) Please state whether notification indicates that it is in respect
of holding of the shareholder name in 2 above or in respect of a non-beneficial
interest or in the case of an individual holder if it is a holding of that
person's spouse or children under the age of 18 or in respect of a
non-beneficial interest.
Decrease in the interests in shares of the above directors following the lapse
of share awards granted under the BT Executive Share Plan (ESP) in 1999 and the
BT Incentive Share Plan (ISP) in 2001.
4) Name of the registered holder(s) and, if more than one holder,
the number of shares held by each of them (if notified)
Ilford Trustees (Jersey) Limited
5) Please state whether notification relates to a person(s)
connected with the Director named in 2 above and identify the connected person
(s)
n/a
6) Please state the nature of the transaction. For PEP transactions
please indicated whether general/single company PEP and if discretionary/non
discretionary
Decrease in the interests in shares of the above directors following the lapse
of share awards granted under the BT Executive Share Plan (ESP) in 1999 and the
BT Incentive Share Plan (ISP) in 2001.
7) Number of shares/amount of stock acquired:
n/a
8) Percentage of issued class
n/a
9) Number of shares/amount of stock disposed
Sir Christopher Bland - an award of 331,488 shares lapsed under the ISP;
Pierre Danon - an award of 186,460 shares lapsed under the ISP;
Andy Green - an award of 40,032 shares lapsed under the ESP and an award of
186,460 shares lapsed under the ISP;
Paul Reynolds - an award of 11,999 shares lapsed under the ESP and an award of
154,140 shares lapsed under the ISP.
10) Percentage of issued class
n/a
11) Class of security
Ordinary shares of 5p each
12) Price per share
n/a
13) Date of transaction
21 April 2004
14) Date Company informed
21 April 2004
15) Total holding following this notification
Sir Christopher Bland
Personal holding: 674,062
BT Group Retention Share Plan: 281,072
BT Group Global Share Option Plan: option over 314,244 shares at 318p per share
Pierre Danon
Personal holding: 93,508
BT Group Deferred Bonus Plan: 190,271
BT Group Global Share Option Plan:
An option over 601,610 shares at 187p
An option over 360,970 shares at 187p
An option over 676,692 shares at 199.5p
Andy Green
Personal holding: 92,351
BT Group Deferred Bonus Plan: 179,457
BT Group Global Share Option Plan:
An option over 568,190 shares at 187p
An option over 340,910 shares at 187p
An option over 639,098 shares at 199.5p
BT Group Employee Sharesave Scheme:
An option over 2,905 shares at 255p
Paul Reynolds
Personal holding: 46,892
BT Group Deferred Bonus Plan: 156,687
BT Group Global Share Option Plan:
An option over 534,760 shares at 187p
An option over 320,860 shares at 187p
An option over 601,504 shares at 199.5p
BT Group Employee Sharesave Scheme:
An option over 4,555 shares at 218p
16) Total percentage holding of issued class following this
notification
n/a
If a director has been granted options by the company please complete the
following details (17 - 22)
17) Date of grant
n/a
18) Period during which or date on which exercisable
n/a
19) Total amount paid (if any) for grant of the option
n/a
20) Description of shares or debentures involved: class, number
n/a
21) Exercise price (if fixed at time of grant) or indication that
price is to be fixed at time of exercise
n/a
22) Total number of shares or debentures over which options held
following this notification
No change
23) Any additional information
The above named Directors have technical interests, as at 21 April 2004 under
Schedule 13 of the Companies Act as follows:
- A technical interest, together with all employees of BT Group plc in
152,310 Ordinary Shares held by the Trustee of the BT Group Employee Share
Investment Plan, Halifax Corporate Trustees Limited;
- A technical interest, together with all employees of BT Group plc in
30,463,435 Ordinary Shares held by Ilford Trustees (Jersey) Limited in respect
of contingent awards under executive share plans;
24) Name of contact and telephone number for queries
John Challis 020 7356 4086
25) Name of signature or authorised company official responsible for
making this notification
John Challis
Date of Notification: 22 April 2004
End
Enclosure 8
SCHEDULE 5
BLOCKLISTING SIX MONTHLY RETURN
1. Name of company: BT Group plc
2. Name of scheme:
a. BT Group executive option plans
b. BT Group employee savings related share schemes
3. Period of return:
From: 01 October 2003
To: 31 March 2004
4. Number and class of shares(s)
(amount of stock/debt security)
not issued under scheme
a. 23,210,689
b. 2,370,191
5. Number of shares issued/allotted
under scheme during period
a. nil
b. 1,484
6. Balance under scheme not yet issued/allotted
at end of period
a. 23,210,689
b. 2,368,707
7. Number and class of share(s)
(amount of stock/debt securities)
originally listed and the date of admission
a. 23,953,179 Ordinary Shares of 5p each listed between 19/12/01 and 22/03/02
b. 2,443,299 Ordinary Shares of 5p each listed between 05/02/02 and 11/02/02.
Please confirm total number of shares in issue at the end of the period
in order for us to update our records
8,634,629,038 (takes into account the cancellation of 36,222,000 shares during
the reporting period)
Contact for queries:
Name: Maria Reeves
Address: pp A9D, BT Centre, 81 Newgate St, EC1A 7AJ
Telephone: 020 7356 5266
Date of Notification: 22 April 2004
Enclosure 9
NR0421
April 27, 2004
BT PRESSES BROADBAND ACCELERATOR
UK to have near universal broadband coverage by summer 2005
BT today announced plans to speed up the delivery of broadband services to rural
communities. These plans will make the UK a world leader for broadband
availability.
BT is to systematically rollout ADSL broadband to a further 1,128
exchanges by no later than summer 2005. This will help bring broadband to
exchanges serving 99.6 per cent of UK homes and businesses.
The new approach replaces the broadband registration trigger scheme
that has helped BT match investment to demand since July 2002.
Alison Ritchie, BT chief broadband officer, said: "BT has continued to innovate
in order to drive broadband as an enabler for tomorrow's society and to deliver
a truly Broadband Britain.
"The broadband registration scheme has been a powerful tool for us to match
investment to demand and its fantastic success, with the support of local
campaigners, has set the way for other countries to follow.
"Now, as we move into more and more rural areas and we have a clearer picture of
growing demand, there are real benefits to be gained through a planned roll out.
This means we can deliver broadband to far more people in a shorter timeframe.
"This approach also means we can use the best engineering solution for the whole
network to efficiently manage costs and future growth.
"Together with our plans to extend the reach of broadband from a local exchange,
this takes us significantly closer to universal availability."
The rollout programme will be announced in detail by the end of June
and will help BT bring forward some published broadband switch-on dates.
Alison Ritchie added: "The impact that local campaigners have had has been
phenomenal - their efforts have meant take-up rates on trigger exchanges have
exceeded those for exchanges that were enabled before the registration scheme.
These local heroes have helped change the market and this in turn has
contributed to our decision to take this approach."
BT Wholesale is working with service providers so people will be able to place
their orders as soon as the go live date for their exchange is fixed. The
certainty brought by this approach will also help service providers with their
longer term business planning and marketing activities.
Today's announcement will deliver broadband to every exchange in the UK except
for the very smallest which between them account for less than 100,000 premises.
BT will continue to seek to work in partnership with public sector and other
organisations to find suitable ways of delivering broadband to these exchanges.
BT has developed or is developing several products that are suitable including
wireless and satellite broadband as well as the Exchange Activate community
broadband solution.
Notes to editors -
The innovative demand registration scheme launched in July 2002 has been a major
driver in BT's rollout of broadband services with more than 880,000 individual
registrations leading to the upgrade of more than 2,000 exchanges. The scheme
will have taken broadband availability from 66 per cent in July 2002 to more
than 90 per cent when all the triggered exchanges previously in the upgrade
programme are completed.
The broadband registration scheme will cease with immediate effect - those
exchanges that have already triggered will have dates set as soon as possible.
BT will also set dates for all exchanges within ten per cent of their triggers
so that these can also go into immediate build. BT plans to announce the phasing
of the rollout for the remaining trigger exchanges by the end of June 2004.
BT hopes to build on its relationship with local broadband campaigners to tap
the energy and commitment they have shown on availability issues and encourage
them to act as champions to help their communities get the most out of the
technology.
About BT
BT Group plc is the listed holding company for an integrated group of businesses
providing voice, data and video services in the UK and elsewhere in Europe.
British Telecommunications plc, a wholly owned subsidiary of BT Group, holds
virtually all businesses and assets of the BT group.
BT is one of Europe's leading providers of telecommunications services. Its
principal activities include local, national and international
telecommunications services, higher-value broadband and Internet products and
services, and IT solutions. In the UK, BT serves over 20 million business and
residential customers with more than 29 million exchange lines, as well as
providing network services to other licensed operators.
BT consists principally of three lines of business:
- BT Retail, serving businesses and residential customers and including
BT Openworld, one of the UK's leading ISPs.
- BT Wholesale, providing network services and solutions within the UK,
including ADSL, conveyance, transit, bulk delivery of private circuits,
frame relay and ISDN connections.
- BT Global Services, BT's managed services and solutions provider, serving
multi-site organisations worldwide. Its core target market is the top
10,000 global multi-site organisations with European operations.
There are a number of other businesses within the BT group, including BT Exact,
an internationally renowned centre of excellence in IT and networking
technologies. It is also BT's technology and research and development business.
In the year ended 31 March 2003, BT's turnover was GBP18,727m. with profit
before taxation of GBP1,829m. For more information, visit www.bt.com
Inquiries about this news release should be made to the BT Group newsroom on
its 24 hour number: 020 7356 5369. From outside the UK, dial +44 20 7356 5369.
All BT Group news releases can be accessed at our web site:
www.bt.com/newscentre
Enclosure 10
NR0423
April 28, 2004
BT REDUCES MIGRATION COSTS FOR BROADBAND
BT is set to introduce greater flexibility into the broadband market by reducing
the prices charged to service providers when they sign up customers from other
suppliers and by standardising those prices where possible regardless of which
wholesale product the supplier uses.
BT is also making it cheaper for service providers to move their existing
customer base from a BT IPStream based service to one based on BT DataStream.
The changes are in response to customer demand.
Migration prices will fall to GBP11 per end user from May 1. The new price
represents significant savings for service providers. The cost of switching a
customer from one BT IPStream based supplier to another has fallen from GBP35
per end user, whereas the cost of moving a customer from a BT IPStream based
service to one based on BT DataStream has come down from GBP50 per end user.
The price cut reflects costs savings brought about by the early stages of a
project to introduce an automated migrations process. This process will be
implemented in stages during the next year.
Bruce Stanford, director of products at BT Wholesale said: "Today's price cut
will introduce greater flexibility into the broadband market. The UK is already
one of the most competitive broadband markets in the world and this move will
make it even more competitive by making it easier for service providers to
attract new customers.
"These major price reductions reflect the cost savings brought about by the
early stages of a BT Wholesale project to enhance our customers' experience by
introducing further automation into the migrations process. The pricing changes
reflect the changing nature of the UK broadband market and the fact that service
providers are choosing to use a range of different wholesale products. As a
result, BT is developing processes so that customers can migrate from one
service to another whether it be from IPStream to DataStream or between
different service providers. These processes will take time to implement and
further announcements will be made over the coming months."
- ends -
Notes to Editors:
BT IPStream is a wholesale ADSL product sold to internet service providers
(ISPs). In simple terms, it is an end-to-end wholesale broadband service that
ISPs use to sell on to their end user customers.
BT DataStream is an ATM transport product which tends to be bought by other
network operators. These alternative network operators can then use their own
ATM and IP networks to sell services directly or indirectly through their ISP
customers to consumers and businesses.
Inquiries about this news release should be made to the BT Group Newsroom on its
24-hour number: 020 7356 5369. From outside the UK, dial + 44 20 7356 5369. All
BT Group news releases can be accessed at our web site:
www.bt.com/newscentre
Enclosure 11
NR0422 April 28, 2004
OFCOM STRATEGIC REVIEW
BT STATEMENT
BT's initial response
BT welcomes the comprehensive review of the UK telecoms sector. The industry is
changing rapidly as new technologies appear, new companies enter the market and
customer expectations evolve. Communication is fundamental to the good of
society, and BT wants an environment in which people, businesses and
organisations can benefit from communicating and sharing information in the way
they want when they want. Ofcom's document, on first view, seems balanced and
well-thought out and appears to recognise some of the fundamental changes that
have continued to take place in the UK telecom sector.
Ben Verwaayen, chief executive of BT said: "The Ofcom review asks a
number of fundamental questions and we welcome the chance to put forward our
views. We're pleased that Ofcom say that the review will be fact-based and
forward looking. A dynamic and forward-looking industry needs a dynamic and
forward-looking regulatory environment."
The UK market is one of the most highly competitive in the world with
over 350 other licensed operators as well as a host of successful mobile
operators. These include not only specialist telecoms players but also some of
the biggest and most successful retailers in the country. There is also a
vibrant cable infrastructure passing 13 million homes. Every person and business
has a real choice for every call they make. In fact, BT currently accounts for
35 per cent of the total UK calls market by value.
One of the key issues for Ofcom must be to create the proper
environment to encourage investment. Those who take the risk must have some
certainty about the level of reward. A proper investment environment is crucial
if the UK is to have a communications infrastructure fit for the new
technologies and services that people and businesses want. The next generation
of networks, enabling communications between a variety of devices, will not
build itself.
We're pleased that Ofcom recognises the need for sustainable business
models as well as ensuring that the rewards are there for those who wish to
invest. Subsidising poor business models is not the way forward, sound economic
principles are.
One question raised is the old chestnut of breaking BT up. It is, of
course, right that Ofcom asks the question. The answer is self-evident. No
other nation has contemplated the break-up of a former incumbent and the
arguments against such a move are well rehearsed. The UK economy benefits from
a strong, vibrant and competitive BT. Hundreds of other business and suppliers
benefit from BT's commitment to the UK telecoms sector and an end-to-end
provider is the way to achieve that.
Inquiries about this news release should be made to the BT Group
newsroom on its 24 hour number: 020 7356 5369. From outside the UK, dial +44 20
7356 5369. All BT Group news releases can be accessed at our web site:
www.bt.com/newscentre
Signatures
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf
by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
BT Group PLC
(Registrant)
By: /s/ Patricia Day
--------------------
Patricia Day, Assistant Secretary. Head of Shareholder Services
Date 04 May, 2004