Revenues at BT Ireland up 6%

Revenues at BT Ireland increased 6 per cent year-on-year to €549 million during the first half of its financial year.

The telecoms operator said revenues from "new wave" services, such as networked IT services, broadband and mobility, were particularly strong and were up 22 per cent in the six months to the end of September. These newer services now account for 30 per cent of total revenues.

BT Ireland, which operates on both sides of the Border, now has 139,000 subscribers to its broadband services in the North, up 41 per cent, and 74,000 in the Republic, an annual increase of 60 per cent. Through its wholesale business, it services 290,000 residential and business customers in Northern Ireland.

"We are certainly opportunity rich - we at BT but the industry as a whole as well," said Chris Clark, chief executive of BT Ireland. "Our biggest challenge is to figure out what opportunities we go after."

Mr Clark said "calls, lines and broadband" are only a part of what the company now did - BT was now the largest provider of IT training on the island, was rolling out CCTV schemes for the Garda, was involved in running trials of digital terrestrial TV and was a significant provider of technology services to the Government and corporate sector.

Mr Clark said the telecoms industry in general did not provide a high enough level of customer service to their Irish customers. "We will, and we have to, get better," said Mr Clark. "It's very high on our agenda."

Parent BT Group yesterday reported revenue of £5.1 billion (€7.3 billion), up 3 per cent, and pre-tax earnings of of £1.4 billion up 2 per cent. BT Ireland employs more than 3,000 staff.