BT Group is one of Europe's leading providers of telecommunications services. Its principal activities include local, national and international telecommunications services, higher-value broadband and internet products and services and IT solutions. In the UK , BT serves over 20 million business and residential customers with more than 29 million exchange lines, as well as providing network services to other licensed operators.
BT's strategy is to be the world leader in Convergence. BT will deliver complete customer offerings that will provide a one user experience across multiple networks. In the UK, BT has secured an MVNO agreement with Vodafone that permits BT to deliver seamless handover on mobile handsets from 3G, 2.5G, 2G, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
In June 2005, BT launched the world's first combined fixed and mobile phone service - BT Fusion. The service works just like a mobile phone when you are out and about, but switches automatically and seamlessly onto a BT Broadband line when you get home. This gives customers all the convenience and all the features of a mobile phone but with fixed lines prices and quality.
BT Fusion is the first of BT's UK Convergence launches. The service is for consumer and SOHO initially on Bluetooth, but with Wi-Fi to follow. BT Fusion information presentation.
To enhance its corporate Convergence offerings, BT has acquired Infonet, Albacom, Radianz, plus Cable & Wireless Business Solutions in Spain. BT has also already signed a mobile service agreement with O2 in Germany. BT will announce its corporate Convergence plans shortly.
BT is also a major UK provider of Wi-Fi services. BT Openzone offers users a high-speed, wireless broadband connection over which people can access the Internet, send and receive emails and connect to a corporate network. As at 31 March 2006, BT had 7,500 BT Openzone live sites throughout the UK, and access to more than 20,000 Wi-Fi hotspots globally.
BT is a founding member of the FMCA and the current Chair.