Telecoms group BT took aim at the £2 billion home computing market today with the launch of a range of "broadband-ready" PCs.
The group is selling a package which allows people to buy a Windows PC, have it installed and receive back-up support for a monthly fee. All PCs will be ready for connection to broadband, enabling customers to receive high-speed internet access.
Under the offer, BT will sell eight packages, ranging from a standard desktop for £35.99 a month to an advanced desktop for £68.99 a month. The group has agreed deals with HP and Toshiba to provide Intel-powered PCs and laptops.
The packages will provide a broadband-ready PC with pre-installed Windows XP software, virus protection and "firewalls" for security. The monthly cost includes a technical help package, but does not include the continuing £27-a-month charges for BT's broadband service. At the end of the three years, customers own their own PC.
BT said today there was a large amount of dissatisfaction with home computing. Angus Porter, managing director of BT Retail's consumer division, said people typically changed their PC every three years and were "increasingly looking to have the hassle taken out" of the experience.
BT said research showed more than 10.6 million people were unhappy with the home PC they currently had while 71% felt pressurised to buy a more expensive computer than they wanted. The company said 70% of owners admitted to shouting, swearing or being violent towards their computer when it crashed, froze or caused other problems.
Only 25% of home PC users felt able to fix their computer themselves if it were to go wrong.
In recent months BT has been pushing hard to increase take-up of broadband among consumers. Earlier this year it pledged to put broadband at the heart of its operations, and has since launched a £33 million advertising campaign to promote the technology in general, as well as its own broadband product.
The company hopes the new BT Home Computing initiative will generate £150m of the £681 million broadband-related revenues expected by 2004/05. Mr Porter said advertising spend on the service would amount to a "couple of million".
