Telecoms operator BT has said its core retail division has accelerated sales growth plans as it attempts to revive its fortunes after years of falling market share.
Underlying revenue targets had not changed, but BT said a shorter plan period and new trading models for corporate division Ignite and Internet service provider Openworld would increase the annual growth rate to five percent from three.
Under the command of new chief executive Mr Ben Verwaayen over the past five months, BT shares have climbed more than 30 per cent as investors flock to the relative safety of the former monopoly in a disaster-prone sector.
Mr Verwaayen has promised to make the telecoms giant a more transparent company, which communicates better with both its investors and customers.
BT repeated group targets for the three years to March 2005 to grow organic revenue by between 6 and 8 per cent and boost earnings per share by 25 per cent every year.
