BT signs up 60,000 new TV customers

A RECORD 60,000 new customers signed up to BT’s television business, boosting its first quarter earnings.

Demand for television was increased after BT acquired the exclusive rights to show the Champions League football tournament this season. The purchase was aimed at winning customers from rival Sky.

A total of 351 matches in the coming season will be available to all customers who have paid for BT TV, whereas Sky customers have to pay extra for a sport package.

The 60,000 increase over the quarter is a shadow of the 1m extra customers Sky said it had added over the past year, in Wednesday’s full year update.

Adjusted pre-tax profit rose by 9pc to £694m over the first quarter.

The firm said that over the quarter average daily audience figures for BT Sport had already increased 51pc before its new sports channel package launches tomorrow.

BT, which is also buying the UK’s biggest mobile phone operator EE from Deutsche Telekom and Orange, said it is on track to meet fullyear expectations.

It already has a partnership with EE, which rents BT some of its network. BT has signed up 100,000 mobile phone users to this service over the past three months.

Chief executive Gavin Patterson said: ‘We’re looking forward to completing our acquisition of EE. Our financial results show we’re on track to achieve our outlook for the full year.’

The shares fell 5.55p to 467.95p due to concerns over a 4pc drop in sales at its global services division that provides companies and governments with IT help.