LE Group set to move into phone sector

Energy supplier London Electricity (LE) Group is planning to move into the telecoms sector with the launch of a fixed-line phone service.

The move would follow the energy group’s construction of 51°, a digital network around London to serve organisations such as mobile operators, which need wholesale bandwidth.

A spokesman for LE says: “We are looking at doing something in telecoms and some trials are under way. We haven’t decided yet how and when the launch will happen.”

It is not clear whether LE will launch an LE-branded or a Virgin Energy-branded telecoms service. LE has been trying to push Virgin Energy, which it owns, as a national brand.

British Gas, which is owned by Centrica; and npower, which has recently been acquired by German company RWE, both offer telecoms services to its customers through BT’s infrastructure.

By contrast, Scottish Power has sold off its stake in telecoms company Thus.