BT Joins HomeGrid Forum Board of Directors

BEAVERTON, OR, May 27 (MARKET WIRE) --
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 GBP 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:
Layla McHale
McHale Communications for HomeGrid Forum
408.981.6394
Email Contact

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