BT Consumer

BT Consumer is the main retail division of United Kingdom telecommunications company BT Group that provides fixed-line, mobile, broadband and digital television to consumers in the UK. It buys access to some of these services from BT's other divisions: Openreach and EE. It is the largest consumer fixed-line and broadband ISP in the UK.[2][3]

BT Consumer
TypeDivision
IndustryTelecommunications
PredecessorBT Retail
HeadquartersOne Braham Street,
London, United Kingdom
Area served
United Kingdom
Key people
Marc Allera (CEO)[1]
ProductsFixedline telephony
Mobile telephony
Broadband internet
Digital television
BrandsBT
EE
Plusnet
ParentBT Group
Websitebt.com

It was established alongside BT Business (now combined with BT Enterprise) following a two-way split from the former division, BT Retail in 2013 to allow BT to "better serve its customers and focus even more on delivering its strategic priorities". It took on the consumer operations of BT Retail that involved BT Consumer together with BT Wi-fi (part of BT Enterprises) and the consumer part of BT Ireland.[4][5] It retained its name following BT's new organisational structure that took effect in April 2016 after its acquisition of EE, with no changes made to the division.[6][7][8] On 28 July 2017, BT announced organisational changes to "simplify its operating model, strengthen accountabilities and accelerate its transformation" and involves bringing together its BT Consumer and EE divisions into a new unified BT Consumer division that will operate across three brands – BT, EE and Plusnet.[9][10][11][12] It will take effect from 1 April 2018.[2]

Products and history

BT Consumer provides fibre-to-the-cabinet (FTTC) and fibre-to-the-property (FTTP) broadband, IPTV and mobile services nationally, as well as providing access to the BT Wi-Fi hotspot service. Since 2020, BT Consumer has begun preparing for the 2025 switch off of the public switched telephone network (PSTN) by introducing their Digital Voice (VoIP) service, which allows calls to be made and received through a Smart Hub 2.

In March 2015, BT launched its mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) product, BT Mobile, in the United Kingdom.[13] The service, that uses the EE network following an MVNO agreement in March 2014,[14][15] was BT's first offering of mobile services since 2002, when BT Cellnet was spun-off to form O2.[16] It also made use of the spectrum BT won in the 4G auction held by Ofcom in 2013.[14][17]

The following year, on 29 January 2016, BT Group's £12.5 billion acquisition of EE was officially completed following ratification from the UK's Competition and Markets Authority.[18][19][20] BT Mobile offers handsets and SIM-only plans through EE's 4G network, with broadband customers able to get a discount on mobile products. Since the roll-out of EE's 5G network, BT Mobile customers wanting to take advantage of the faster network are encouraged to take up products through EE, with BT Mobile deciding against offering 5G services.

On 29 January 2020, BT announced that it had completed its commitment of having 100% of customers' service calls into its consumer business answered in the UK and Ireland, becoming the only major communication provider to do so. As part of the commitment, calls are routed to the nearest call centre that is able to deal with the relevant customer enquiry: Consumer CEO Marc Allera said, "We know how important providing a personal, and local, service is to our customers."[21]

In February 2021, BT and EE launched a new home wifi service that combines the power of its fixed-line broadband services with its mobile network. With the introduction of the Hybrid Connect device, customers who lose connection through their Smart Hub 2 will automatically be connected to EE's mobile network, giving them a continuous, uninterrupted connection that BT described as "unbreakable".[22]

References
  1. "Consumer". BT. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
  2. "Consumer". BT Group. Retrieved 24 November 2017.
  3. "Facts & Figures". Ofcom. Retrieved 2 February 2016.
  4. "BT Retail splits into two businesses". BT Today. BT Group PLC. Archived from the original on 23 February 2016. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  5. Williams, Christopher (30 July 2013). "BT splits BT Retail division to focus on BSkyB battle". The Telegraph. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  6. "BT announces new structure". BT News. BT Group PLC. 1 February 2016. Retrieved 24 November 2017.
  7. "BT reports a 24% jump in quarterly profits amid revamp". BBC News. 1 February 2016. Retrieved 24 November 2017.
  8. Palmer, Kate (1 February 2016). "BT unveils management overhaul as it reports 'seven-year high' in revenue growth". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 24 November 2017.
  9. English, Simon (28 July 2017). "BT hints at its next boss in shake-up of consumer arm". London Evening Standard. Retrieved 24 November 2017.
  10. "Organisation and senior management changes at BT". BT News & Media. BT Group PLC. 28 July 2017. Archived from the original on 19 November 2017. Retrieved 24 November 2017.
  11. Gwynn, Simon (28 July 2017). "BT brings EE and Consumer under combined leadership". Campaign. Retrieved 24 November 2017.
  12. Hoscik, Martin (28 July 2017). "BT brings EE, Plusnet and BT brands into a new unified consumer division". SEENIT. Retrieved 24 November 2017.
  13. "BT launches UK's best value 4G mobile data deal as a reward for its BT broadband customers". BT Group PLC. 25 March 2015. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  14. "BT returns to mobile phone market". BBC News. 25 March 2015. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  15. "BT and EE confirm UK MVNO agreement". BT Group PLC. 25 March 2014. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  16. "MMO2 offers small investor buyout". BBC News. 12 January 2005. Retrieved 15 September 2017.
  17. "Ofcom announces winners of the 4G mobile auction". Ofcom. 20 February 2013. Archived from the original on 23 May 2016. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  18. "BT Group PLC Completion of the acquisition of EE Limited". 4-traders. 29 January 2016. Archived from the original on 29 May 2016. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  19. "EE is now part of BT". EE Limited. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  20. Farrell-Davies, Sean-Rob (15 January 2016). "BT's £12.5bn EE takeover gets green light". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 22 May 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  21. "BT completes 100% onshoring of customer service calls to the UK and Ireland to deliver personal and local customer service". BT Group. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  22. Metz, Axel (3 February 2021). "BT and EE launch "unbreakable" home Wi-Fi". TechRadar. Archived from the original on 22 May 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
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