BT in the Sky with Broadband

NEWS BT Retail has announced a deal with BSkyB to promote BT's broadband services to Sky's satellite customers. Starting this autumn, Sky will promote BT Retail's new 'wires-only' product to its 6.1 million UK customers. No details were available of whether the deal will be cheaper than BT Retail's own £27 per month price, but a BT retail spokesman said Sky is "looking to make a competitive offer". The venture is part of a series of co-operative deals between BT Retail and broadcasters, following on from a co-marketing deal announced by BT last year to promote digital television. That deal was put together to help BT Retail combat the triple package of internet, TV and telephony being offered by cable companies NTL and Telewest, which was eating into its market share. Since last July, it has delivered a total of 300,000 sales leads to Sky Digital and the late lamented ITV Digital under the deal, the spokesman said. The deal could also pave the way for an improved version of Sky's interactive TV services, using a broadband uplink to improve the power and speed of the return path for interactive TV services. Back in the day BT stood shoulder to shoulder with the mun-keh!