BT Broadband Signs 15 Millionth Customer
BT is celebrating the signing of their 15 millionth customer for their broadband service this month. This comes after the telecommunications giant started offering broadband services in August of 2002. It has managed to grow from a customer base of 200,000 to 15 million in only 8 years, which is equal to signing 5,000 new broadband customers a day.
Despite competition between rival operators, the signing rate has slowed in the last couple years due to a maturing market. Plus, not all of these customers are signed up directly to BT’s broadband services. The figures also include rival providers like TalkTalk, Sky and O2, which all use the company’s network. Nevertheless, just a little less than two-thirds of their total 15 million customers are businesses.
BT strategy director Olivia Garfield said that people were skeptical when BT supported broadband 8 years ago. However, the figures show that the vast majority of new customers signing up for broadband are choosing their network over alternatives, where prices are higher, she continued, adding that Broadband Britain has been successful with high take-up, low prices and widespread availability.
The company has invested billions into expanding and improving their broadband infrastructure throughout the UK. In just July, they announced that they reached 96,000 net connections in the first quarter of their financial year. This has taken their share of the internet retail market in the country to 40%.
However, there is still improving to be done at BT, particularly with their advertising. The Advertising Standards Authority banned the company’s adverts twice in August for being misleading about how fast their broadband connections are.