Leading broadband provider BT managed to increase its subscriber base during the second quarter of 2010, it has been announced.

The firm, which is currently investing £2.5 billion upgrading local telephone exchanges around the UK to support next-generation broadband, saw its user base rise by 96,000 between April and June.

BT has a total of 5,227,000 broadband consumers at the conclusion of the quarter, compared to 5,131,000 at the end of March.

Although the increase was down on the 123,000 rise registered in Q1 2010, BT continued to move in the right direction.

BT Chief Executive Ian Livingston commented that the internet service provider had made "an acceptable start to the year".

"We hit the first major milestone in our fibre roll out, passing over 1.5 million premises, and we are now running at an average rate of around 100,000 premises passed every week," he explained.

Customers signing up for the firm's Total Broadband bundle are currently able to access a Home Hub worth £89.99 for free.