British Telecommunications Plc could generate revenue of about UKP2,000m a year by the end of the decade from its video-on-demand services across its telephone network, the Financial Times reported: quoting an internal company memorandum, the paper added that that would yield profits of UKP600m if 8m subscribers each paid about UKP250 a year at today’s prices; meantime the UK phone giant is not blocked by law from offering video on demand down its telephone lines, UK undersecretary of state for trade and technology Patrick McLoughlin told the annual cable television conference – despite the fact that the service was not envisaged when the regulations were drawn up in 1991; asked whether the possible move was going against the spirit of laws intended to open up competition, McLoughlin said he would be keen to see competition thrive.
