LONDON, July 31, 2008 (AFP) - British telecoms operator BT Group said on Thursday that net profits sank 35 percent in the first quarter of its fiscal year amid fierce competition for broadband Internet services and higher restructuring costs.

LONDON, May 15, 2008 (AFP) - British telecoms operator BT Group said on Thursday that annual net profit sank by 39 percent, hit by restructuring costs and the lack of an exceptional tax gain made the previous fiscal year.

LONDON, April 8, 2008 (AFP) - British telecoms operator BT Group said on Tuesday that chief executive Ben Verwaayen, credited with turning the company round, would step down next month to be replaced by retail division head Ian Livingston.

A spokesman for the group said the Dutchman, 56, felt it was the right time to leave after heading BT since 2002.

LONDON, April 8, 2008 (AFP) - British telecoms operator BT Group said on Tuesday that its retail division chief, Ian Livingston, is to succeed Ben Verwaayen as chief executive in June.

The company gave no specific reason for the departure of Dutchman Verwaayen, 56, who has headed BT since 2002.

LONDON, Feb 7, 2008 (AFP) - British telecoms operator BT Group on Thursday said net profits slumped 75 percent during its third quarter, skewed by an exceptional tax gain made the previous fiscal year.

SINGAPORE, Dec 5, 2007 (AFP) - British telecoms giant BT Group said Wednesday it is acquiring Singapore-based Frontline Technologies for 202 million Singapore dollars (140 million US) to beef up its regional presence.

BRUSSELS, Nov 29, 2007 (AFP) - European Union regulators on Thursday launched an in-depth investigation into British government guarantees for the pension fund of the BT Group telecoms operator.

At issue is BT's exemption from 'certain common law financial obligations,' including paying a levy to the national Pensions Protection Fund.

BERN, Nov 14, 2007 (AFP) - Telecoms operators Swisscom and BT on Wednesday wound up their Infonet Switzerland joint venture as they unveiled new cooperation plans which they said would better meet the needs of customers.

LONDON, Nov 8, 2007 (AFP) - British telecoms operator BT Group said Thursday that 5,000 jobs would be lost this year, as it announced that net profit slid by nearly a third during its second quarter.

LONDON, Aug 18, 2007 (AFP) - A customer trying to call British telecoms operator BT Group was left hanging on the telephone for a total of 20 hours, The Times newspaper reported here on Saturday.

In a statement, BT blamed long response times on a new calling system which has left a large number of customers in the lurch.

Hannah King, 51, called a company helpline after a BT engineer failed to turn up to install a telephone line at her new flat in Milford Haven, south Wales, according to The Times.

LONDON, July 26, 2007 (AFP) - The British telecoms operator BT Group on Thursday said net profits rose by about a third in the first quarter of its financial year, lifted by its popular broadband Internet service.

Net profits climbed 30.8 percent to 607 million pounds (905 million euros, 1.24 billion dollars) in the three months to June 30, 2007, BT said. That compared with 464 million pounds in the same period of 2006.

Pre-tax earnings rose 3.0 percent to 658 million pounds in the first quarter, as BT added some 459,000 new broadband Internet customers.