BT has defied market expectations and reported higher-than-expected results for the year ending March 31st, thanks in no small part to demand for its television and broadband services.
The telecoms provider saw revenues within its consumer division increase 4% compared with the previous year, rewarding BT's heavy investment in live sports and fibre-optic internet.
MORE: BT reveals plans to enter the Ultra HD 4K TV sport race
During the fourth quarter alone, BT Consumer revenues were up by 9% year-on-year, with the lowest line losses – an indication of lost subscriptions – at its lowest level for five years.
And since launching last summer, BT Sport has now entered around five million homes nationwide – boosted by the attraction of screening Premier League and Champions League football.
MORE: BT Sport comes to Virgin Media
BT also said it secured a 79 per cent share of DSL and fibre-optic broadband market net additions for the fourth quarter, with 1.3 million more homes taking fibre-optic broadband over the year.
Meanwhile, the ongoing rollout of BT's fibre-optic broadband internet is "ahead of schedule" and now passes in excess of 19 million premises – around two thirds of the UK, and still growing.
MORE: BT launches "smaller and sleeker"YouView+ box
Ofcom, however, revealed in March that BT had topped the list of most complained about broadband internet and pay TV service providers between October and December 2013.
BT was found to be the provider that attracted most complaints with 0.31 per 1,000 customers for its pay TV service and 0.32 per 1,000 customers for broadband.
MORE: Ofcom: BT tops broadband internet and pay TV complaints list
by Pete Hayman