Broadband rollout

BT Group PLC
30 June 2004


NR0454 June 30, 2004

                  BT CONFIRMS TIMETABLE FOR BROADBAND ROLL OUT

BT today provided clarity for more than a thousand communities across the UK by
setting dates for when they will have access to broadband. The move follows an
earlier announcement that BT would be rolling out broadband so that 99.6 per
cent of UK households are connected to broadband exchanges by August 2005.
The roll out is the latest stage of an ongoing investment by BT that has already
seen more than one billion pounds spent on its UK broadband network. It will
lead to almost one million more households being connected to broadband
exchanges and it will require 5,500 kilometres of new cable to be laid across
the country.

BT's investment will ensure the UK remains ahead of its major international
competitors. A recent report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and
Development (OECD) identified the UK as having plans that will ensure the
country has the best DSL broadband availability within the G7 group of
countries.

BT's roll out programme will speed up the national deployment of broadband
bringing it to more communities in a shorter time than would otherwise have been
possible. By adopting a systematic approach, BT has been able to combine a
faster roll out of broadband with the most efficient engineering solution. The
systematic roll out has also enabled BT to bring forward the enablement of 59
additional exchanges that had hit their triggers before the closure of the
registration scheme.

Alison Ritchie, BT chief broadband officer, said today: "Today's news provides
clarity for more than a thousand communities across the UK. People have been
keen to know when they will have access to broadband and this clarity from BT
will allow them to plan ahead with confidence.

"Whilst this move will ensure the UK leads the G7 in broadband availability,
more has to be done in terms of driving take up. It is particularly important
for the UK that businesses adopt and embrace broadband.

"BT is working hard to transform the market from narrowband to broadband and to
ensure that every part of the UK can benefit from the broadband revolution".
Today's timetable will see broadband delivered to every remaining exchange
except for the very smallest which between them account for fewer than 100,000
premises across the UK.

Alison Ritchie added: "BT is not forgetting these small numbers of communities
who are still to be told when they will receive broadband. These communities are
served by the very smallest exchanges and BT is working hard to find solutions
for them. These solutions depend on the support of external partners and so BT
will continue to seek to work in partnership with public sector and other
organisations. Possible solutions include wireless and satellite broadband as
well as BT's Exchange Activate product."

BT also announced that the initial results from trials to extend the reach of
broadband beyond its current limit (roughly 6km) were looking very promising. BT
is confident it will find a way over the summer to extend the reach of broadband
ADSL services to over a million more homes and businesses throughout the UK.
The full timetable can be accessed at www.bt.com/broadband.

Inquiries about this news release should be made to the BT Group Newsroom on its
 24-hour number: 020 7356 5369. From outside the UK dial + 44 20 7356 5369. All
  news releases can be accessed at our web site: http://www.bt.com/newscentre

Notes to Editors

BT has upgraded its systems so that people can order broadband from a service
provider immediately rather than having to wait for their exchange to be
upgraded before placing their order. This will ensure that people have access as
soon as possible.

About BT

BT Group plc is the listed holding company for an integrated group of businesses
providing voice and data services in the UK and overseas, particularly in 
Europe, but also in the Americas and the Asia Pacific region. British
Telecommunications plc, a wholly-owned subsidiary of BT Group plc, holds
virtually all businesses and assets of the BT group.

BT is one of Europe's leading providers of telecommunications services. Its
principal activities include local, national and international
telecommunications services, higher-value broadband and internet products and
services, and IT solutions. In the UK, BT serves over 20 million business and
residential customers with more than 29 million exchange lines, as well as
providing network services to other licensed operators.

BT consists principally of three lines of business:

•    BT Retail, serving businesses and residential customers and including BT 
     Openworld, one of the UK's leading ISPs.

•    BT Wholesale, providing network services and solutions within the UK,
     including ADSL, conveyance, transit, bulk delivery of private circuits,
     frame relay and ISDN connections.

•    BT Global Services, BT's managed services and solutions provider, serving 
     multi-site organisations worldwide. Its core target market is the top 
     10,000 global multi-site organisations with European operations.

There are a number of other businesses within the BT group, including BT Exact,
an internationally renowned centre of excellence in IT and networking
technologies. It is also BT's technology and research and development business.

In the year ended 31 March 2004, BT's turnover was £18,519million with profit
before goodwill amortisation, exceptional items and taxation of £2,016million.

For more information, visit www.bt.com



                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange