Sky said it was “in good shape” ahead of the imminent Premier League rights auction as it posted better-than-expected half-year results today and said it had signed up retail customers at the strongest pace in nine years.

Mobile phone users in the UK stuck in 24-month contracts will be able to get new phones before their contract ends under a new service.

Sky is to become the UK’s second-largest broadband provider after agreeing a deal today to buy rival O2’s half a million customer accounts.