Telecoms giant BT has entered the personal computer market, launching a low-jargon service aimed at taking the stress out of buying a PC.

The move comes at a time when worldwide sales of personal computers are flattening after several years of double digit growth.

The easing has put sector heavyweights such as Dell under financial pressure, and forced some smaller players out of business altogether.

Undeterred, BT is predicting annual sales of �150m by 2005, equivalent to about 5% of the current market.

"It's an aggressive target, but not an overambitious one," Angus Porter, head of BT Retail's consumer division, told BBC News Online.

The firm is hoping the new venture, BT Home Computing, will appeal to customers who find the process of buying and setting up new computers daunting.

Helping hand

BT's packages are designed to be consumer-friendly, comprising an installation service, ongoing technical support, pre-installed software, and a modem capable of supporting ultra-rapid broadband internet access.

"BT is seen as a brand which is well-placed to deliver a product that is based around a service, " said Mr Porter, stressing that signing up to BT's own broadband internet service was not a requirement for subscribers.

Mr Porter said the new venture comes in response to recent research from pollsters MORI suggesting that more than 10 million British computer users are unhappy with the machine they own.

Many expressed dissatisfaction with the sales process, with nearly three quarters saying they had felt pressurised into spending more than necessary on their computers.

BT's computer packages - based on machines built by Toshiba and HP - are available to buy from Monday on the company's web site and over the telephone.

BT will be supporting its new initiative with a �2m press and radio advertising campaign.