Broadband has come of age. For consumers at home, it doesn’t just mean faster, always-on access to the internet. It means a new world of communication and entertainment possibilities, bringing music, games, video, education and security services down the line.

For business, it can mean increased productivity, innovative collaborations, competitive edge and the chance to get on top of costs. Our business customers have always-on access to a range of valuable business applications and resources, helping them serve their customers more effectively.

Over the past year or so, the broadband landscape has changed beyond recognition. Not so long ago, price and lack of awareness were hot issues for BT and for the rest of the industry. Since then, we’ve made major reductions to our wholesale and retail broadband prices, introduced special offers, and launched BT’s biggest ever advertising campaign to announce that broadband has landed.

We’re also doing a great deal to deliver broadband cost effectively to as many parts of the UK as possible. As at 31 March 2003, 67% of UK homes were connected to one of our 1,167 broadband-enabled exchange areas and we are working hard to increase this.

During the year, for example, we launched an innovative registration scheme in more than 800 areas. Once a certain level of demand is registered in any of those areas, the exchange is broadband enabled. As at 31 March 2003, over 320,000 people had registered an interest through this scheme, 44 exchanges had been broadband enabled and a further 247 were in the process of being enabled.