BT Group plc, formerly known as British Telecom, is a British telecommunications and digital-connectivity company headquartered in London. Its main businesses include consumer broadband and mobile services, business communications, managed network services, cyber security and the Openreach fixed-access network.
BT is one of the best-known names in British telecommunications because it grew out of the public telephone network, was separated from the Post Office, and became one of the major privatisations of the 1980s.
Name and Structure
The public company is BT Group plc. British Telecommunications plc remains a principal operating subsidiary within the group. The company uses several brands and business units, including BT, EE, Plusnet, BT Business and Openreach.
Openreach is wholly owned by BT Group but operates as a separately governed network business. It builds and maintains much of the UK's fixed telephone and broadband infrastructure and sells access to hundreds of communications providers rather than only to BT's retail brands.
History
BT's deeper history is tied to Britain's telegraph and telephone systems. The Electric Telegraph Company, founded in 1846, is often treated as part of the company's early lineage.
Modern BT developed from the General Post Office's telecommunications operations. The Post Office Act 1969 made Post Office Telecommunications a public corporation, and the British Telecom brand was introduced in 1980. British Telecom became independent of the Post Office in 1981.
The Telecommunications Act 1984 transferred the business to British Telecommunications plc. Shares were sold to the public in 1984, making BT a major example of British privatisation under the Conservative government of the period.
Services
BT Group provides fixed broadband, mobile services, landline services, television, managed business networks, security products and related digital services. EE is a central consumer mobile and broadband brand, while BT Business serves organisations in the UK and internationally.
The group also sells handsets, connected devices and other consumer products. Its network and infrastructure role makes it important beyond its own retail customers, because other providers rely on Openreach for access to fixed-line and fibre networks.
Openreach
Openreach is responsible for much of the physical access network connecting homes and businesses to phone and broadband services. It works for communications providers rather than directly representing only BT's retail operations.
This separation exists because of the regulatory importance of the network. The aim is to let providers compete at the retail level while using common access infrastructure on regulated terms.
EE and Consumer Services
BT acquired EE in 2016, strengthening its position in mobile services. EE later became the group's main consumer-facing mobile brand and an important part of BT's broadband and convergence strategy.
BT, EE and Plusnet serve different parts of the consumer market. The balance between those brands has changed over time as the company has simplified products and focused on fibre and mobile connectivity.
Financial Position
BT's own 2025 company profile said it served more than 30 million customers in the UK and internationally and generated revenue of GBP 20.4 billion for the year to March 2025. BT's investor pages later published 2026 reporting documents, including the strategic report, governance report and financial statements.
The company is listed on the London Stock Exchange and remains part of the UK's communications infrastructure and public-company landscape.
Regulation and Criticism
BT operates in heavily regulated markets. Ofcom regulation affects wholesale access, universal service, market power, pricing and service standards.
The company has faced criticism over customer service, network roll-out, market dominance, pricing and the structure of Openreach. It has also had to manage the long transition from copper networks and older telephony systems to fibre broadband, mobile data and digital services.
See Also
References
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