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| Mobility
for consumers |
| In
the consumer mobility market our strategy is to build a foundation for
the delivery of added-value, fixed/mobile convergent solutions. |
 |
The
launch of BT Mobile Home Plan was a major step back into the mass mobility
market and a first step towards a converged fixed/mobile service. BT
Mobile Home Plan is targeted at families and its features include bundled,
fixed-price packages of call minutes, lower line rental and free short
calls home to the family fixed line. The launch was supported by a major
advertising campaign. As at 31 March 2004, we had over 41,000 contract
customers (for BT Mobile Home Plan and BT Mobile Sense, a previous mobile
consumer offering). BT Mobile Home Plan is available through bt.com,
BT’s direct voice channels and over 1,000 retail outlets (Carphone
Warehouse, The Link and Phones 4U). |
|
In
May 2004, we announced
plans to launch Project Bluephone – the first step towards handset convergence.
Project Bluephone removes the need to own more than one phone as customers will
be able to use a single device that can switch seamlessly between fixed and mobile
networks, offering a better service with more guaranteed coverage and lower overall
costs. A ‘‘soft launch’’, involving more than 1,000 users,
is planned for the summer of 2004 and a full
launch for later in the year. |
| Mobility
for business customers |
| We
are a service provider in the business mobile market and had over 103,000
business connections at 31 March 2004. |
| BT
provides a range of managed mobile services to UK and global customers
who either outsource their mobile communications entirely or rely on
BT to provide specific managed services, such as supplier management
or managed billing for mobility. |
|
The
introduction
of BT Mobile Office – a convergent, multi-access remote and flexible solution – in
September 2003 made it possible for business customers to access their corporate
networks via a single, smart log-in application. |
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During
the year, we established our position as a major UK provider of public
wireless broadband (Wi-Fi) services. As at 31 March 2004, we had almost
2,400 Openzone live sites throughout the UK. In January 2004, we reached
agreement with McDonald’s to install Openzone access points in more
than 500 McDonald’s restaurants. We also started installing Openzone
access points in our public telephone network. The target is to have
4,000 access points throughout the UK by the end of summer 2004. In January
2004, we sponsored Wireless Broadband Week, which offered seven days
of free access to BT Openzone and saw traffic in
the network increase by 133%. In February 2004, we announced a global
deal with British Airways to install Openzone access points in 80 of
its main customer lounges around the world. |
|
The
acquisition of
Transcomm in 2004 enhanced BT’s position in providing remote monitoring
and management information services for business customers in the UK. Remote
monitoring enables the control of electronic devices over long distances, helping
businesses to manage their assets and risks. Devices which can be remotely monitored
include: fire and burglar alarms, vending machines, refrigerators, EPOS (electronic
point of sale) terminals, parking meters and distribution fleets. Through our
BT Redcare operation, BT is already a leading player in fixed-line M2M (machine
to machine) applications in the UK. This acquisition enhances our M2M service
offering by adding wireless capabilities. |
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| Mobility
for wholesale customers |
| For
wholesale customers, we will move towards our strategy in the UK wholesale
mobile arena which is to defend our traditional mobility revenues and
to grow the new mobility business. |
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We
reached agreement to provide Vodafone UK with a managed access transmission
network in the UK, connecting its base stations to its core switches.
Vodafone will benefit from
simplification of processes – including a formalised payment structure – as
well as access to any new technologies implemented by BT within the five-year
term of the contract. |
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