BT offers ex-C&W clients a shoulder to cry on

'There, there... listen, I know another telco that can help'

BT is offering a helping hand to Cable & Wireless customers that have been told by the telco they have 90 days to find a new supplier.

BT has set up a free hotline for "worried customers" of Cable & Wireless ditched by the telco earlier this year.

Thousands of C&W customers were told in late February that the company will from now on focus on large corporate customers and, as result, the small businesses in question had to find themselves an alternative supplier in less than three months.

The announcement came as part of the restructuring plans announced by C&W UK chairman John Pluthero, which saw the telco's UK workforce cut by half.

BT said it now has a team of advisors set up to "help" the customers ditched by C&W "consider their options" - that is, BT's business packages.

A BT spokesman said the telco has already picked up ex-C&W customers "in the normal course of business" but lines are yet to start running hot on the newly launched hotline. "I'd be surprised if we'd had anything but day one interest," he added.