The Business Centre

BT is considering shelving its £1.5bn (US$2.2 billion) high-speed fibre optic broadband network..

Chief executive Ian Livingston said shareholders had raised concerns over the level of investment and economic return in providing 10 million homes with 100Mbps fibre-based broadband by 2012.

Livingstone admitted a number of shareholders think BT "should hold onto the money".

"We need to have the environment in which our shareholders feel there is a good chance of us making a return. If we cannot have that environment this is not the time to be taking on sure-fire losses," Livingston said.

However another BT spokesperson said: "The project isn't at risk because of the recession. There's nothing that is affecting that investment decision at this moment."