BT’s telly gain is big turnoff

Firm add fewer viewers as profits slip TOPSY TURVY HIGH STREET

PROFITS at BT have slipped as the firm counts the cost of TV sports rights and trying to improve customer service.

The industry giants also blamed tough trading in their global services division, who provide telecoms for big businesses.

BT made £666million profit in the three months to the end of September, down one per cent.

Revenue in the BT consumer arm rose one per cent to £1.26billion, and their EE mobile phoneone arm enjoyed a four per cent gain to morere than £1.3billion.

But globalobal services, rocked by an accounting scandal in Italy, dropped 10 per centt

Boss GaGa v i n Patterson called the EXCLUSIVE FORMER Dragons’ Den star Theo Paphitis says high street trading is “quite frightening” now.

The Robert Dyas and Ryman stationery owner said trading was “totally erratic”, with “wild swings” in sales. “There’s no rhyme or reason,” he said. His comments echo those from fashion chain Next this week.

It came as Strictly Come Dancing star Mollie King was unveiled as the new face of Boux Avenue, Paphitis’s lingerie chain.

Paphitis said he had turned down several requests to appear on the show. He said: “I am absolutely the worst dancer in the whole world.

“I’m like an orangutan with piles.” up 67.4 at 7555.3 +27.5 +42.0 -8.0 -3.0 +2.0 +1.0 +79.0 +0.90 +38.5 +7.0 +4.1 -6.9 -4.0 -9.0 +1.2 +21.0 +27.0 -2.5 -0.9 -19.0 -2.7 +55.0 GKN GlaxoSmithKline Halfords Hays HSBC Imperial Brands 3 International Airlines Grp ITV Kingfisher Land Securities Legal & General Lloyds Marks & Spencer Morrison National Grid Next Old Mutual Pearson 6 Prudential Reckitt Benckiser 321.0 1358.5 334.6 185.9 737.2 070.0 631.0 160.8 309.6 960.5 271.0 67.9 329.3 222.9 915.2 4500.0 194.9 98.0 1867.0 6582.0 Oil +1.9 +7.0 +3.5 +0.8 +4.5 -3.5 -4.5 -1.2 +0.3 +8.0 +2.9 -0.7 +0.5 -1.1 +16.5 +29.0 +3.3 -6.0 +17.5 +6.0 results “encouraging”. But the firm admitted they added only 7000 TV customers in the three months, a big drop from the 63,000 of a year ago. Patterson claimed the fall was partly due to switching from an old TV platform to the YouView system, which is a joint venture with major broadcasters including BBC and ITV. Meanwhile the group confirmed they are expecting to consult with employees over changes to their company pension scheme. New BT chairman Jan du PlessisPlessis gave Patterson his public backing yesterday, telling staff: “I look forward to working with Gavin and his management team.” = $60.64 RELX 1717.0 Rentokil Initial 327.0 Rio Tinto 3743.5 Rolls-Royce 965.0 Royal Mail 381.0 RSA 623.0 RBS 281.8 J Sainsbury 237.0 SSE 1365.0 Severn Trent 2100.0 Serco 114.8 Sports Direct 395.8 Shell 2475.0 Sky 950.5 Smith & Nephew 1383.0 Smith WH 2056.0 Stagecoach 167.3 Standard Chartered 725.8 Standard Life Aberdeen 438.2 TalkTalk 212.9 Taylor Wimpey 201.7 BOUX BELLE Theo with chain’s new face Mollie +6.0 -7.5 +91.0 +5.0 +11.1 -10.0 -2.7 +0.6 +1.0 +28.0 0.0 +1.3 +58.0 +1.5 +5.0 +11.0 -5.0 +20.8 +5.3 0.9 +1.0 Tesco Thomas Cook Unilever United Utilities Vodafone Trinity Mirror 179.6 120.4 4250.5 827.0 221.3 84.0 +1.2 +0.8 +12.5 +6.0 +2.4 -1.0