BT’s Roll‑Out Rumble: Fiber Plans & a Touchy Profits Dip
Just a day after dropping the grand promise of ultra‑fast fibre to 3 million homes and businesses, BT’s latest quarterly report shows a little stumble in revenue and earnings – a reminder that even telecom giants can hit a snag.
What the Numbers Say
- Adjusted earnings: –2 % → £1.8 bn for the quarter ending 31 December.
- Sales: –3 % → £5.97 bn.
- Pre‑tax profit: –3 % → £660 m on the same £5.97 bn revenue.
CEO Gavin Patterson’s Take
“Our third‑quarter results line up pretty cleanly with what we expect, and we’re still bullish on the full year,” Patterson said. “Customer‑experience metrics keep getting better for the sixth straight quarter, and we’re teaming up with the UK government, Ofcom, and our customers to crack the fibre‑nation flag faster.”
And yes, they even pointed out that Openreach is on a roll: “Accelerating our FTTP deployment to 3 million premises by the end of 2020.”
Market Mood
Despite the solid outlook, BT shares dipped 3.6 % in early trading – a classic reminder that the market loves a good story, but also hates surprises.
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