BT said it signed up 100,000 mobile phone customers in the three months since re-entering the market as it posted a rise in quarterly profits today.

The telecoms giant launched SIM-only deals for existing customers in March and plans to offer a full range of products and services after completing its £12.5 billion takeover, expected in March 2016.

BT also added 85,000 retail broadband customers in the three months to the end of June this year, more than half the growth in the market, where its offer has been bolstered by bundling in free Premier League TV with its internet packages.

Adjusted pre-tax profits for the group rose 9% to £694 million.

Chief executive Gavin Patterson said it was "an exciting time for BT" and that it was on track to achieve its outlook for the full year.

BT is re-entering the mobile phone market for the first time since spinning off its BT Cellnet operation in 2001, which later became O2. But it will not begin marketing a full range of services to consumers until the completion of its EE deal.

Mr Patterson said: "Our mobile plans have got off to a good start with more than 100,000 consumer mobile customers signed up in the first three months.

"We're also looking forward to completing our acquisition of EE, which will allow us to create a true digital UK champion, providing customers with greater choice and value and helping to deliver the UK's connected future."

Group results were bolstered by an 11% rise in operating profits to £204 million for its consumer division which includes broadband as well as the BT TV platform.

Numbers on the TV platform rose by 60,000 to 1.2 million in the quarter.

They will be able to watch all Champions League and Europa League matches free this season following the launch this weekend of the BT Sport Europe channel. BT has paid £897 million to show the games for three years.

Broadband customers can pay £5 a month to watch via Sky's platform, app, or mobile. They will continue to be able to watch 38 Premier League games a season at no extra cost.

Mr Patterson said BT continued to invest heavily in its superfast broadband network, now reaching 80% of all premises and working with the Government has a target of 95% by the end of 2017.

Shares fell 2% as BT reported group revenues of £4.28 million that were slightly below market expectations.

Revenue fell 6% to £1.54 billion in its global services communications and IT division, led by a 12% decline in the UK mainly due to public sector customers.

The results come days after BT announced a raft of price hikes for consumers.

Meanwhile, regulator Ofcom has said it is considering splitting its Openreach broadband network from the group as one of a number of possibilities in its review of the sector.

BT has said billions of pounds of investment in fibre broadband would not have happened if it had been split in the past and that its future ultra-fast broadband plans also depended on remaining intact.

:: Elsewhere, O2 said it had added 199,000 net customers in the second quarter of 2015, saying this maintained its position as the fastest growing mobile operator.

It now has a customer base of 24.8 million, up 4.4% year-on-year. Underlying income was ahead by 14% to £374 million.

O2's Spanish owner Telefonica has agreed to sell the business to Hong Kong-based Hutchison Whampoa, owner of rival Three, in a £10 billion deal.