The agreement will provide Nimans’s UK reseller partner-base with access to an even more diverse choice of connectivity options through ITS’s suite of business-grade full fibre solutions. These services will underpin the delivery of Nimans’s AV (Audio-Visual), UC (Unified Communications), and security solutions.

Andrew Cooper, Head of Sales, Nimans Connect division at Nimans said:

“The partnership with ITS aligns with our mission to provide our resellers with access to best-in-class connectivity solutions which underpin the individual technology requirements of their end-customers. ITS’s portfolio addresses the differing demands on connectivity for businesses of all shapes and sizes; from the provision of leased line services, to business broadband. This agreement will also help support organisations under increasing pressure to embrace future-proof fibre as legacy copper-based infrastructure is phased out.”

Dave Ferry, Head of Partner Markets at ITS said:

“We are delighted to announce our strategic partnership with Nimans. As our dedicated B2B full fibre network – which now reaches over 25% of all UK commercial premises – continues to expand, this agreement will drive further adoption of high-speed, reliable connectivity. This is crucial for driving business growth and advancing the UK’s digital transformation. Through this partnership, we are well-positioned to deliver the future-proof connectivity that businesses need to thrive in an increasingly digital economy.”

• Under the agreement, Sky Business will launch business Ethernet services using the ITS network which is currently ready to serve more than 25% of all UK commercial premises.
• Sky Business will leverage ITS’s investment into its market-leading B2B network and delivery tools, giving the efficiencies needed to transact at high volumes.
• The partnership builds on the success of the existing relationship Sky Business and ITS forged in 2020, which allows ITS to deliver business connectivity services using Sky’s infrastructure.

09 September 2024: 

Sky Business has signed a new long-term supply agreement with ITS to deliver robust, high-capacity Ethernet connectivity to businesses and other organisations across the UK.

The partnership agreement will bring the best of two networks together, using an innovative combination of ITS’s fibre and Sky Business’s core network to deliver high quality, ultrafast business-grade services.  The deal will ensure that Sky Business continues to grow its connectivity offering to the sector and offer flexibility and choice.

The partnership enables both parties to benefit from joint investment for seamless ordering, provisioning, assurance, and billing capabilities. This means Sky Business partners will receive a best-in-class service experience, managed by Sky Business’s UK-led operational centre.

This strengthens an already established partnership, where Sky Business plays a key role in supporting ITS’s wider connectivity portfolio.

Damian Saunders, Managing Director, Hospitality, Sky Business Mid-Market & Wholesale said: 

“Sky Business’s new partnership agreement with ITS will enable us to expand our reach and introduce an exciting new offering to deliver a robust network experience for more businesses across the UK.

This means we are now uniquely positioned to provide our customers with a broader, combined infrastructure, underpinned by the best of both networks and our best-in class service wrap.”

Daren Baythorpe, CEO at ITS said:

“We are delighted to forge this new agreement with Sky Business which creates a reciprocal relationship, building on our existing partnership. We have invested heavily in our full fibre infrastructure which has been designed and is being rolled out specifically to serve businesses across the UK. Driving business full fibre uptake through Tier 1 partners is at the heart of our growth strategy as we work towards our ambition to be the UK’s best option for last mile business-grade connectivity.”

Hosted by two seasoned industry experts, ITS’ Head of Partner Markets, Dave Ferry and Katharine McNamara, Connected Tech Talks will cover a wide range of topics that are critical to staying competitive in today’s market. From the biggest trends in telecommunications to thought-provoking discussions on business connectivity, the podcast aims to equip listeners with the knowledge they need to navigate and thrive in a rapidly changing landscape. 

Featuring a combination of expert interviews, trend analyses and future-gazing discussions on our dynamic industry, listeners can expect to hear from top industry leaders who will shed some light on fast evolving technology and market movements.  

Connected Tech Talks is available on all major podcast platforms, and the trailer is now live for those eager to get a sneak peek at what’s to come. Click here to view.

ITS recognised for launching new fibre products and making them easily accessible for the market to sell into businesses

Dedicated B2B wholesale full fibre operator, ITS Technology Group (ITS) has won the coveted ‘Best Fibre Connectivity Provider’ category at the 2024 Comms Business Awards.

Dave Ferry, Head of Partner Markets at ITS said: “I am thrilled we have picked up this award, the second time for ITS in this category. It is testament to the hard work, dedication, and expertise of our entire team. We strive to provide our partners with unparalleled business-grade fibre connectivity solutions that drive innovation, efficiency, reliability, and growth.

“We continue to work hard and invest in streamlining processes to make it easier for our partners to access full fibre services, and create the product portfolio that helps them to meet the demands of their customers. This can only be achieved through great partner relationships and collaboration. This award serves as a milestone in our journey and a motivation to keep raising the bar.”

In addition to several promotions and incentives designed to support partners amidst challenging market conditions, over the last year ITS has added to, refreshed, and upgraded its product portfolio. This includes the wholesale provider’s FibreBright leased line services, and FibreLight and FibreOne FTTP services.

In September last year, ITS also launched a suite of value-add bolt on services which includes voice-enabled connectivity options, additional fixed IP addresses, and a series of resilience services including 4G backup and broadband backup designed to make it easier for its partners to sell and manage their customers’ service portfolios.

ITS remains focused on expanding the geographic reach of its own XGS-PON full fibre network – which already reaches 25% of the UK’s business premises – and delivering services, accessed through its bespoke partner portal/API, to meet the growing demand for reliable, high-speed fibre connectivity.

Click here for more information on ITS’ product portfolio.

Broadening its business connectivity offer, ITS has reintroduced an overhauled FibreOne service. Developed as the full fibre wholesaler’s most cost-effective entry-level business-grade asymmetrical solution, it is available with download speeds of up to 1Gbps. Launched in two phases, FibreOne will initially be available in 22 towns and cities across the country. A further 24 locations are expected to go live later this year.

ITS has also refreshed its FibreLight FTTP product set which now offers a fully symmetrical XGS-PON Ethernet over FTTP service designed with guaranteed ‘always on’ access to 20% of the ordered speed. The remaining bandwidth is burstable providing the performance demanded by digitally reliant businesses. FibreLight can be upgraded through enhanced service level agreements.

Pete England, ITS’ Head of Product Development said: “Working with our partners, in FibreOne we have developed a product set that helps them to provide the right connectivity services for their customers’ needs. The redevelopment of this entry-level service has filled a void for our partners who were asking for a business-grade solution that will help them to migrate customers from copper-based services including ADSL and Fibre To The Cabinet (FTTC).

“Our product portfolio has been designed to grow with end-user demands, which includes upfront customisable options and future scalability. While FibreOne increases ITS’ geographic reach to allow more businesses to get on to the full fibre ladder, it complements the existing reach of our FibreLight product – which with many of the attributes of a leased line is really helping our partners to differentiate in a noisy marketplace. For those looking for a truly managed service, it is seamless for our partners to upgrade their customers from FibreLight to a dedicated FibreBright leased line in life.”

All of ITS’ FTTP portfolio are offered with a fixed IPv4 address with upgrade options of enhanced business care level, additional fixed IPv4 addresses, and dedicated project management services for complex or multi-site projects. ITS’ connectivity and value-added services are accessed through its self-service Partner Portal. As part of this launch, ITS has updated its service and availability checker, splitting out the business broadband (FTTP) and leased line options to allow more focused searches.

For more information, click here.

ITS, the UK’s leading business fibre network provider, has secured £100 million of debt financing from global investment firm Avenue Capital Group.

Together with the significant existing facility provided by Aviva Investors, the global asset management business of Aviva PLC, this investment further underpins the delivery of ITS’ growth target for its full fibre network to pass 50% of the UK’s commercial business premises. The £100 million of funding will also be available alongside the existing facility to finance strategic M&A activity.

Following strong growth over the past five years, ITS has established itself as a national full fibre infrastructure operator, building a robust, reliable network with industry leading technology, bringing a gigabit-capable full fibre network to UK businesses. With a dedicated channel focus on B2B fibre, ITS now has the largest business fibre footprint outside of the incumbents.

ITS’ infrastructure supports symmetrical services up to 10Gbps using XGS-PON technology, providing open access to a network of more than 500 partners in the UK, and supporting some of the UK’s most progressive business and public sector bodies.

Daren Baythorpe, Chief Executive Officer at ITS, said: “We’re really excited to welcome our new investor, Avenue Capital Group. This additional funding recognises the strength in our business plan as we continue to expand our network, as well as consider strategic acquisitions, as the fibre market adapts to changing technology and undergoes consolidation.

“Following last year’s follow-on investment from Aviva Investors and the acquisition of NextGenAccess, we have worked with our partners to drive connections with both businesses and with public sector organisations. In addition, we’ve had a strong focus on service, investing in systems and delivery to drive improved experience, providing agility and assurance alongside our business growth.”

Jonathan Ford, Senior Portfolio Manager and Head of Europe Strategy at Avenue Capital, said: “We’re delighted to be supporting ITS’ business-to-business fibre rollout in the UK. The company’s management team not only has very deep industry relationships to execute on their business plan, but it has also coupled it with a strong delivery track record. This funding fits well with our European strategy of investing in high quality companies with sustainable business models.”

Darryl Murphy, Head of Infrastructure, Aviva Investors, said: “It is encouraging to have secured funding into ITS from Avenue Capital which, alongside existing investments made by Aviva Investors, will enable the business to maximise its potential. We have been pleased with the performance of ITS to-date and this latest injection of capital will provide it with the ability to fulfil its future growth plans, as part of a critical sector for delivering the UK’s digital evolution.”

Greenhill acted as corporate finance advisors on the transaction with Dow Schofield Watts, Sullivan & Cromwell LLP provided legal advice, RSM were tax advisors and Analysys Mason provided commercial and technical due diligence .

Media contact:

Deborah Simcock 

deborah.simcock@itstechnologygroup.com

M. 07801 443022

The football boots were laced up. The stage was set. Team ITS were ready for the football showdown of the century at the Business Fives Tournament 2023. And what an event it was. On the 14^th of September, Team ITS took to Goals Liverpool, ready to snatch up the title at this year’s charity football match in aid of mental health charity, Mind.

We’re pleased to say that we won the tournament, and our team will go on to play the other winning teams for the Championship title in October.

Team ITS have a strong history in Business Fives, playing in aid of charities close to our heart. We’re pleased to say that we’ve raised some incredible funds for mental health charity Mind, securing £350 worth of additional donations from Business Fives Ltd due to our victory.

Why We Chose to Play in Aid of Mind

At ITS, we’re committed to putting our people first, and one of the ways we do so is by ensuring that mental health is taken seriously. No one should face mental health stigma, especially in the workplace.

Mind is helping blow the whistle on mental health stigma, with dedicated services designed to create a more mental health-empowered society.

Our social value and people and culture team work hard at ITS to ensure our people have the support they need to do the best possible job – and a big part of that is protecting their mental health.

The result

Team ITS played in two teams, and racked up quite the impressive score sheet throughout the day. Congratulations to our colleague Abdullah Saeed, who scored an impressive seven goals in a single game.

Of course, we took home some incredible prizes, with our Head of Safety, Health and Quality, Michael C. Jones bringing home the prize for the best goalie of the day!

As the whistle blew, Team ITS secured the Championship title at 1-0, with Abdullah securing the title for Faster Britain.

Our People and Culture Coordinator, Marie Chinn, said, “We’re so proud of team ITS, and we’re even prouder to support Mind. It’s a great charity and really represents our values at ITS. We couldn’t have hoped for a better result, and the way our team conducted themselves today is a true testament to our ITS values. Today, we’re incredibly proud to work for ITS.”

ITS raised a total of £440 for Mind.

Thank you to all who participated in the Business Fives tournament, and congratulations to all the players for some amazing, premier-league-level football and money raised for life-changing charities.

If you’d like to support our fundraising efforts for Mind, you can visit our JustGiving page here, and help ITS support Mind to create a more mental health-empowered and accepting business landscape.

Following on from another successful year, we’re pleased to report that our partnership has significantly increased reach, primarily focused on funding and support for local schools.

In today’s post, we’ll explore the report more deeply and explain how we plan to continue our support for InnovateHer in the coming months.

Another successful year with InnovateHer

The InnovateHer report highlights the significant impact that delivering tech-based activities for girls and non-binary students has. Together, InnovateHer and ITS have inspired 102 students, hosted two students for work experience at ITS HQ and supported activities in both of our sponsored schools.

What does this mean?

Through ITS’s Inspiring Assemblies and Role Model talks at schools, ITS and InnovateHer have successfully engaged over 102 students, who then enrolled on InnovateHer’s platform and courses, designed to embolden skills development, and build digital confidence. Thanks to the support of ITS colleagues, our team welcomed two work-experience students looking to gain further insight into life in tech, providing context of the tech-working world and employability skills rolled into one!

Overall, ITS’ partnership with InnovateHer has provided school-aged girls and non-binary young people with a greater view of what life in tech can look like and helped spur their dreams of becoming cornerstones of the tech market.

The results of our partnership

Not only has ITS’ partnership with InnovateHer had a profound impact on over a hundred school children, but we’ve also seen some incredible feedback from our ITS colleagues, showing that our social value initiatives with organisations like InnovateHer have a positive knock-on effect.

Our ITS colleague said:

“Building a relationship with the public (students) was not an easy job but the teacher was extremely helpful in engaging the students and make them more curious and confident in asking questions. Overall, a good experience for myself and hopefully for the students as well.”

The overall results of our partnership have unveiled that levelling the playing field for girls and non-binary students in the tech sector is not only just a way of getting more girls into a historically inaccessible field but it’s a strategic advantage for businesses looking to broaden their talent outreach, gain unique perspectives, and engage with the bright brains of tomorrow.

Innovation goes together with diversity, so we’re proud that our partnership with InnovateHer is reaping positive results.

Lauren Forbes, Head of Fundraising and Partnerships from InnovateHer, had this to say about our partnership:

Collaboration with us here at InnovateHer to support more girls getting into tech is not just great, it is a visionary step towards building a brighter and more inclusive future. Together, we are unlocking the limitless potential of young minds, ensuring that gender equality and innovation go hand in hand. We have loved having ITS partner with us over the past 2 years to support our mission, and we look forward to working with them in the coming year.”

The future of our partnership with InnovateHer

We’re thrilled that we’re continuing our partnership with InnovateHer, and we’re looking forward to more amazing activities to inspire the next generation of students in Tech. We’re hoping to see more incredible reports like this one that highlight just how important connecting with today’s youth is for the success of tech businesses of tomorrow.

ITS has built a channel programme that has attracted more than 500 partners including resellers, managed service providers (MSP), and internet service providers (ISP). Through our automated self service portal, partners can now access our suite of business-grade gigabit capable connectivity solutions – from full fibre broadband to dedicated leased lines – with the option to add on enhanced service wraps designed through partner feedback to boost their wider solution procurement.

With a roadmap to launch further value-add services later this year, we’ve initially introduced voice-enabled connectivity options, additional fixed IP addresses, and a series of resilience services including 4G backup and broadband backup. There is also access to dedicated project management services for complex or multi-site projects.

Pete England, Head of Product Development at ITS said: “A key point of difference for partners working with ITS is that we provide the tools and support they need to win business, with their feedback being a vital component of this success. This also applies to our product roadmap. Our mission is to make it as easy and straightforward as possible to adopt full fibre services.

“As the needs of end-users are constantly evolving, we are responding to the demand for service wraps that help our partners to streamline their suppliers and integration of services, allowing them to concentrate on their sales pipeline and sell their wider portfolio of ‘over the top’ services. We will continue to develop our offer and do all that we can to support our partners in this way.”

ITS can connect any business in the UK through our own Faster Britain full fibre network, and through trusted operator relationships. Earlier this year we introduced a 2023 price freeze on existing contracts and all new on-net services, and applied a series of price reductions to provide further support to our Faster Britain approved partners amidst challenging market conditions. ITS also offers a price match promise to our 10G leased line FibreBright services.

Mike Goodwin, CTO at ITS Technology Group said: “As a joint venture partner rolling out the full fibre network known as LCR Connect, we are proud to build on this platform across the Liverpool City Region. As a consortium partner, we will deliver the infrastructure that will enable innovative 5G solutions to be provided at demanding high density and volume locations. This will be a gamechanger for connectivity at venues across the City Region. We are looking forward to working with the consortium partners to deliver this.”

To find out more, click here.