Robot voice call provider Eckoh has accompanied news of a £1.9 million annual profit with a deal with United Utilities.

AIM-quoted Eckoh, headed by chief executive officer Nik Philpot, made a virtually unchanged pre-tax profit in the year to March on turnover cut from £127 million to £104 million, as the company carried out a programme of reorganisation and restructuring.

Having sold its 64.5 per cent stake in Symphony Telecom Holdings, Hemel Hempstead-based Eckoh says it 'consolidated' its business around its two 'core divisions': 'speech solutions and client interactive voice recognition', although lower consumer demand for premium rate has in the first quarter of this year continued to affect this sector.

At 10.25p, the shares value the company at £20.5 million and could have longer term speculative appeal.