BT sales increase 35% in 2016 Q2 with EE and broadband boosts

Increasing numbers of broadband and pay monthly mobile customers since BT’s integration of EE and company reorganisation has helped BT increase sales and profit.

The company completed the £12.5bn acquisition of EE in January 2016, with the mobile operator becoming a new business unit in the wider group.

BT’s sales increased 35% to more than £5.7bn in the three months from April to June, with a profit of £717m for the same period.

Through EE, BT gained 244,000 mobile pay monthly customers in the period.

Gavin Patterson, chief executive officer at BT, said the integration of EE is progressing well. “EE performed strongly, both financially and commercially,” he said.

“We remain focused on improving customer experience, and 100% of EE pay monthly calls are now handled in UK and Ireland contact centres. We’ve reduced engineer missed appointments by more than a third since last quarter and Openreach is ahead on all 60 minimum service levels set by Ofcom.”

BT said broadband sales were strong, and its fibre broadband is now available to well over 25 million premises. Patterson added that BT got 79% share of new UK broadband customers in the quarter.

Patterson said the company will continue to invest in rolling out fibre and 4G networks through its Emergency Services Network (ESN) contract.

This is part of what is known as the Emergency Services Mobile Communications Programme. It aims to provide an enhanced commercial – but shared with the public – 4G  mobile network for the use of ambulance, fire and police services across the UK. This will replace the private terrestrial-trunked radio (Tetra) network currently in use but coming to the end of its life.