The broadcaster BSkyB yesterday accused EDS, the US IT outsourcing company, of making a "deliberate, cynical and dishonest" sales pitch for a multi-million-pound contract to build a customer service system.

In one of the largest commercial cases seen in London's technology and construction court, BSkyB is suing for £709m in damages, claiming EDS failed to comply with contractual obligations undertaken in2000, and that its subsequent performance was "woeful".