BT Joins HomeGrid Forum Board of Directors

BEAVERTON, OR--(Marketwire - May 27, 2009) - HomeGrid Forum, a global, non-profit trade group promoting the United Nations' International Telecommunication Union's (ITU-T) G.hn standardization efforts, today announced that BT (British Telecommunications plc) has joined the organization and its Board of Directors. Today's announcement reaffirms the increasing interest and importance of G.hn as the next-generation global standard for the wired home.

"The addition of BT, one of the world's most innovative service providers, to the HomeGrid Forum board demonstrates significant momentum for the G.hn home-networking standard," said Matthew Theall, president of HomeGrid Forum. "With G.hn technology, organizations like BT will be able to easily deploy a whole range of managed revenue-generating services and distribute those offerings anywhere in the home over any type of wiring."

The G.hn standard is aimed to deliver a single unified technology for the wired home network that addresses key issues of service providers, electronics manufacturers, and consumers alike. Through one worldwide standard, G.hn will unify the networking of content and devices over any wire -- coax cable, phone and power lines. G.hn enables service providers to deploy new offerings including IPTV more cost effectively; allows consumer electronics manufacturers to provide powerful devices for connecting all types of entertainment, home automation and security products throughout the house; and greatly simplifies consumer purchasing and installation processes.

"Today we provide customers everything from voice calling to advanced video on demand offerings. BT supports the G.hn standard as we believe it will enable us to enhance our customers' experience relating to the services we offer -- connecting customers more effectively with content," said Bob Bissell, chief customer environment strategist at BT, and HomeGrid Forum board member. "We have been an active participant in the ITU workgroup for G.hn, and look forward to working with HomeGrid Forum to promote and bring this new standard-based technology to market."

BT joins a growing list of industry-leading organizations that are part of HomeGrid Forum. Global leaders in the service provider, computing, and consumer electronics industries also support the adoption of G.hn through their participation in the ITU-T. For a complete list of HomeGrid Forum members, visit www.homegridforum.org.

About BT

BT is one of the world's leading providers of communications solutions and services operating in 170 countries. Its principal activities include the provision of networked IT services globally; local, national and international telecommunications services to our customers for use at home, at work and on the move; broadband and internet products and services and converged fixed/mobile products and services. BT consists principally of four lines of business: BT Global Services, Openreach, BT Retail and BT Wholesale.

In the year ended 31 March 2009, BT Group's revenue was £21,390 million.

British Telecommunications plc (BT) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BT Group plc and encompasses virtually all businesses and assets of the BT Group. BT Group plc is listed on stock exchanges in London and New York. For more information, visit www.bt.com/aboutbt

About HomeGrid Forum

HomeGrid Forum is a global, non-profit trade group promoting the International Telecommunication Union's G.hn standardization efforts for next-generation home networking. HomeGrid Forum promotes adoption of G.hn through technical and marketing efforts, addresses certification and interoperability of G.hn-compliant products, and cooperates with complementary industry alliances. To learn more about becoming a HomeGrid member, please visit www.HomeGridForum.org/join.

Contact Information: CONTACT: Layla McHale McHale Communications for HomeGrid Forum 408.981.6394