British Telecom, more commonly known as BT, is a telecommunications company. This name was established in 1980 and became the official name of Post Office Telecommunications in 1981. However, the company's roots can be tracked back to 1846 at the establishment of the Electric Telegraph Company. The early telecommunications companies in the UK were eventually amalgamated, taken over or collapsed with the survivors being transferred to state control under the Post Office.

Between 1984 and 1993, British Telecom was privatised at which point its name changed to British Telecommunications plc. The company is now a wholly owned subsidiary which encompasses 5 separately owned businesses and virtually all other assets of the BT group which stretches worldwide, known as BT Group plc. The 5 businesses are: BT Global Services, BT Business, BT Consumer, BT Wholesale and Openreach.