Original URL: https://www.theregister.com/2007/05/14/bt_regains_lead/
BT regains broadband lead
More woe for Virgin
Posted in Networks, 14th May 2007 09:14 GMT
BT will reclaim the lead in the broadband race from Virgin Media when it announces quarterly results this week, according to reports.
The Sunday Telegraph said BT will reveal it has netted 200,000 new punters in the last three months, bringing its total subscriber base to 3.6 million. Last week, Virgin said it had added a more modest 97,600 broadband lines in the wake of its TV dispute with Sky, bringing its total to 3.4 million.
When NTL merged with Telewest last year, the cable monopoly created instantly became the largest internet service provider. Having quickly let that crown slip, it now also faces competition from BT on the TV front, with the consumer push for BT Vision, the firm's IPTV service, starting last week.
The Telegraph reports that BT revenues will hit £20.3bn, their highest since 2003.
In other news, The Times reported that BT bosses are again talking to WiMax hardware firms in a bid to better position the firm's mobile and wireless efforts, ahead of Ofcom's spectrum auction. ®