In a move to provide better connectivity and hyper-local advertising to over 200 towns and cities, the agreement will see Global convert up to 2,000 conventional BT payphones and kiosks into brand new Street Hubs over a 10-year period from next year.

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This also includes selling and marketing on the telecoms giant’s 959 existing Street Hubs.

BT will also continue to provide mobile and WiFi connectivity to the units.

BT Business Chief Executive Officer, Bas Burger, said: “BT’s payphones have long been an iconic feature on the UK’s streets – and with the way we all communicate changing, today’s announcement marks a further step into the future.

“There are already almost 1,000 modern digital Street Hubs bringing communication benefits to local communities across the UK.

“By bringing together BT’s rock-solid connectivity with Global’s unrivalled expertise in out-of-home advertising, we can almost triple this number over the next decade.”

Global Group CEO, Stephen Miron, added: “We are absolutely delighted to continue our partnership with BT for at least another 10 years. Street Hubs have become increasingly attractive to advertisers, given their striking presence and prominent positioning on the major streets across the UK.

“Together with BT, we have very exciting and ambitious plans to significantly expand the Street Hub network, alongside some highly innovative solutions for advertisers. BT has been a great partner, and we look forward to continuing this relationship over the next decade.”

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BT’s ‘We’ve Got Your Back’ campaign will run across TV, TikTok, Meta, DOOH, print t and digital display.

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The campaign, directed by BAFTA-nominated director Raine Allen Miller, runs for six weeks and comes after the creative agency secured the telecoms giants’ B2B account last month.

BT, Brand and Marketing Director, Helen Whetton, said: “BT is the UK’s sixth most valuable brand. But we’re also right at the start of a new chapter in BT’s brand story, as the flagship B2B identity for BT Group.

“We’re a heritage brand that’s got to think like a challenger, and I’m so excited for what’s ahead. Bob Hoskins famously said, “It’s good to talk” – and today more than ever, connectivity is the lifeblood of commerce.

“This campaign is all about showing businesses of all sizes and sectors that BT’s got their back: with the resilience, stability and security they can trust to help them navigate the challenges of today and the ones that will come at them tomorrow.”

Adam&eveDDB CEO, Miranda Hipwell added: “BT’s been around since 1846 and has always been driven by innovation, so it’s perfectly set up to have the back of today’s modern businesses.

“We’re delighted to share our first campaign which shines a light on the diversity and vitality of the businesses BT keeps moving through its connectivity.”

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The telecoms giant revealed the move is the first in several generative AI tools it aims to introduce for product development across the business.

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As part of the adoption, AWS’s GenAI tool has written over 100,000 lines of code for its software engineers in the first four months of the partnership. According to the company, the code is currently providing 15–20 suggestions of code per user per day, with software engineers accepting these suggestions 37% of the time.

BT Group Chief Data and AI Officer, Deepika Adusumilli, said: “The adoption of generative AI solutions on this scale is not just a major milestone for BT Group, but for industry as a whole.

“It will equip our colleagues for a world of work that is transforming overnight, in turn delivering solutions for our customers quicker than ever before. Implementing coding assistance is step one in a wider enablement move for our digital colleagues in AI-supported product lifecycle management.”

AWS Director for the Telco Industry EMEA, Fabio Cerone, added: “BT Group and AWS share an ambitious vision for how transformative generative AI can be for businesses globally. Our work to implement Amazon CodeWhisperer is a great example of the value, efficiency and support generative AI can offer.

“For BT Group, it helps the engineering community to finish coding tasks faster, allowing them to focus on the bigger picture of how they deliver the very best solutions for the business and their customers.”

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The company stated MCR Hotels plans to preserve the tower as a hotel, with payment for the site to be made over the coming years.

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As part of the move, the telecom giants’ remaining equipment will be removed from the building, with the final payment will be made on completion. 

BT Group Property Director, Brent Mathews, said: “The BT Tower sits at the heart of London and we’ve been immensely proud to be the owners of this important landmark since 1984.

“It’s played a vital role in carrying the nation’s calls, messages and TV signals, but increasingly we’re delivering content and communication via other means. This deal with MCR will enable BT Tower to take on a new purpose, preserving this iconic building for decades to come.”

MCR Hotels CEO and owner, Tyler Morse, added: “We are proud to preserve this beloved building and will work to develop proposals to tell its story as an iconic hotel, opening its doors for generations to enjoy.”

The news comes as EE boss Marc Allera has revealed customers are “not sentimental” about losing the BT brand following its £12.5 billion acquisition.

He said: “We’re effectively rebranding a national institution. Most are aware of the changes and they understand it” claiming the telecoms business has not “seen much resistance”.

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Marks and Spencer (M&S) has named Rachael Higham as its new Chief Digital and Technology Officer.

Higham joins the retailer later this year from WPP where she held the position of Chief Information Officer.

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Prior to the advertising agency, she held the position of Managing Director of IT at telecoms giant BT for five years, joining from mobile provider, Vodafone, where she held the position of Head of Cloud & Infrastructure Centre of Excellence, a position she held for over two years.

Commenting on the appointment, M&S Stuart Machin said the move reflects the “importance of digital and technology to the next phase of the retailers transformation.”

He added that he is “confident” that with Higham’s leadership, M&S will “accelerate the pace of change in the business” as it reshapes M&S for growth.

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O2 and BT Mobile have been named the most complained-about mobile operators, according to Ofcom.

Complaints about O2 were primarily driven by how customers’ complaints were being handled (31%), however, BT customers’ complaints were driven by their experiences of changing providers (45%).

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Some 36% of complaints by BT customers were driven by how complaints were handled by the telecoms giant, whereas 9% complained about faults, service and positioning, compared to 29% of O2 customers.

Ofcom also revealed that 18% of O2 customers complained about the mobile giants’ billing, pricing and charges.

The data also revealed Sky Mobile, EE and Vodafone all received the fewest complaints in the mobile sector.

Commenting on the overall complaints data for this quarter, Ofcom Consumer Protection Director, Fergal Farragher, said: “The slight increase in complaints on the previous quarter shows that providers must continue to focus on improving customer service.

“As the communications regulator, we compile this complaints data so we can better understand the reasons for dissatisfaction among telecoms customers.”

He added: “While we cannot deal with individual customer complaints, publishing this data gives consumers an insight into providers’ performance, which helps them to choose the right provider for their needs.

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BT has announced it is scrapping above-inflation price rises for mobile and broadband customers.

The parent company of EE revealed it will introduce the change in the summer this year after telecom companies were criticised for hiking up prices amid the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.

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Following calls from regulator Ofcom, telecom customers must be told upfront in pounds and pence about any price rises their provider includes in their contract.

As a result, EE has said it has “listened and taken on board” the request and will be offering “a clear and simple view of any changes in pounds and pence”.

The current model adjusts customer pricing annually by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rate of inflation + 3.9%, however, this will be replaced by a new model no later than four months after Ofcom finalises the decision, BT revealed.

In a blog post, BT Group’s Consumer Division CEO, Marc Allera, said: “Our annual price change is never an easy conversation to have with customers, particularly when so many people are dealing with the increasing cost of living.

“But it is a necessary conversation to have to help us manage our own rising costs and investments we’re making into networks and customer service, while also protecting those customers in vulnerable circumstances, suffering from financial hardship or digital exclusion.”

The rise for new and re-contracting mobile customers is expected to be from £1.50, while broadband customers can anticipate a £3 increase.

Until then, the annual price increase on 31 March of CPI + 3.9% will go ahead as normal.

However, there will be no changes for customers in financially vulnerable circumstances on EE Basics or BT Home Essentials.

Allera stated: “The cost of living and a digitally inclusive society is now more relevant and important than ever.

“We are continually thinking about how we – and the wider industry – can play our part alongside policymakers to drive meaningful change, at a time when we can see so many people under pressure.”

The news comes as Allera recently revealed customers are “not sentimental” about losing the BT brand following its £12.5 billion acquisition.

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BT has confirmed to be sponsoring the four rugby union sides in Wales until the end of the 2023-24 season, marking 10 consecutive years as a sponsor.

Since 2014, the telecoms giant has sponsored all four Welsh professional teams – Ospreys, Cardiff Rugby, Scarlets and Dragons, making it one of the longest sponsorship deals in the history of Welsh regional rugby.

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At the beginning of the partnership, the BT Sport brand was used to promote support for grassroots, youth and community rugby.

However, as time has gone on, the BT brand has appeared on player kits, at the clubs’ grounds and the agreement has involved community engagement with the teams.

BT Group Head of Sponsorship, Matt Stevenston said: “We’re really pleased to be able to celebrate ten years of our sponsorship and relationship with the four Welsh teams.

“We believe this is the longest sponsorship in the history of the four Welsh clubs, so it’s great to mark this milestone. BT and Welsh rugby have seen a lot of change in this ten-year period, but we’re proud to have been able to provide continuity in our support over this time.

“We hope our joint charity work and support for events like the BT Community Rugby festivals has made a difference and helped inspire a new generation of players and supporters.”

Mobile service provider EE, part of BT Group, is also the lead sponsor of Wales’s national football teams.

Scarlets Executive Chairman Simon Muderack added: “For the last decade, BT has been there through the highs and lows of Welsh rugby.

“To have such a well-respected business leader backing the game has meant a lot and all four of us look forward to collaborating on various initiatives and projects to promote Welsh rugby in the years to come.”

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BT’s outgoing CEO Phillip Jansen has been considered to become the next chairman of marketing firm WPP.

According to Sky News, Jansen, who is to step down from the telecoms company in spring, is one of several prospective candidates to have been approached for the post.

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However, WPP’s search is not yet at an advanced stage, with no certainty Jansen or WPP would progress his application further.

Jansen joined BT in 2013, after holding the position of CEO at Worldpay. Before that he was CEO and then chairman at Brakes Group between 2010 and 2015.

He started his career at FMCG giant Procter & Gamble (P&G) and has also held senior positions at MyTravel, Sodexo and Telewest Communications (now Virgin Media).

The news comes as WPP CEO Mark Read was recently awarded a CBE in the King’s New Year Honours list, for his services to the creative industries.

Read was promoted from Chief Operating Officer to the CEO role at WPP in 2018 succeeding Sir Martin Sorrell. Prior to that, he held leadership roles at Wunderman and WPP Digital.

“I am delighted and proud to have received this honour,” Read said.

“The creative industries and the many thousands of amazing people who work within them – not least those at WPP – are such an important part of British life, with a huge impact on both our culture and economy. It’s wonderful to see that contribution recognised.”

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Telecoms giants, Sky, BT, TalkTalk and Virgin Media O2, have agreed to set new measures aimed at safeguarding the most vulnerable individuals.

During the ongoing upgrade of phone lines to a new digital network, the pledge addresses concerns over serious incidents impacting telecare users, specifically the elderly and disabled who depend on remote support systems.

According to the UK’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, the move is a “positive step” by the industry to make sure safety continues to be at the heart of the nationwide switchover.

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Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan said: “It is absolutely right that the most vulnerable people in our society should feel safe, secure and have complete confidence in the services provided to them.

“That’s why I have brought our biggest network providers and industry regulator to the table, agreeing a cast iron set of principles to reassure people and put their minds at ease.

“The recent issues families have had to endure are unacceptable and today’s agreements will help to protect consumers in future.”

Other agreed measures include a commitment by providers not to force customers onto the new network until robust protections are in place.

The government will also continue to work with the telecare sector to reduce risk for users during the digital transition, it said.

Telecoms Minister, Sir John Whittingdale, continued: “These commitments are a promise to the most vulnerable people in our society – we will leave no stone unturned in making your safety and security the number one priority for our telephone providers.

“When people need help, they should have every confidence that the services provided to them will get them the assistance they need, and I am clear that recent failings must never happen again.”

He concluded: “It is important we have a telecoms networks fit for the modern age and it’s right the technology is updated to keep pace with the demand we place on it, but in modernising the network providers must also work closely with customers to understand their needs, particularly the most vulnerable customers.”

The news comes as Community Fibre recently called out BT and Virgin Media for “stifling” and “confusing” customers, making it harder for them to leave and join other service providers.

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