Wavenet has announced the acquisition of Solar Communications Group Limited for an undisclosed consideration.
Wavenet, a leading UK supplier of business telecommunication solutions, backed by Beech Tree Private Equity, is bolstering its cloud unified communications offering by adding the experience and scale of Solar Communications into its solution and service portfolio. This acquisition will significantly strengthen the Wavenet Group’s market share in the UC marketplace and cement its place as one of the leading managed service providers to businesses in the UK for fully converged data, voice, cloud, security and mobile.
Both businesses have been extremely active and successful in their ‘buy and build’ strategy, each acquiring 4 businesses and integrating them over the past 2 years, whilst maintaining organic growth.
The combination of the businesses brings the benefits of scale, broader geographic reach, a stronger management team and significant enhancements to the portfolio of services and solutions the group can now offer its customers.
Wavenet has its own automated platform on which it offers multiple cloud-based communication services to direct customers and resellers. It has a leading position in Cisco’s BroadCloud solutions, underpinned by a broad range of connectivity, security, cloud, voice and data solutions which it supplies on its own managed network.
Solar brings significant on-premises engineering skills to the group, and has market-leading accreditations in SD WAN, and UC services which it supplies directly to SME and mid-market businesses across the UK. Together the group will now service nearly 10,000 UK business customers.
Bill Dawson CEO of Wavenet Ltd said:
“Solar is an extremely capable and exciting business with a very talented team. Its combination with Wavenet will provide added depth to the innovative and business enhancing services provided to both sets of customers.
“Solar has been successful developing the platform, people and services required for growing the business both organically and by acquisition. This has accelerated its transition from being a leading telephone system reseller in the UK, into becoming a fully managed cloud service provider, able to provide superlative technology and a fully managed service.
“We very much look forward to welcoming John and the team to the Wavenet Group. Personally, I’m more excited about the marketplace now than I have ever been.”
John Whitty, CEO of Solar Communications said:
“Following an intensive 30 months of growing our business into a successful and agile organisation, the time is right to take the next step and allow our customers to benefit from our significant joint capability and experience in the UC market. We are all very pleased that the Wavenet values and culture are extremely close to those already present within Solar which should make the integration of the businesses so much easier.”
“The introduction of Wavenet’s award-winning network, Cisco and extensive networking expertise into our base, will improve our converged solutions and their automated platform will bring benefits to delivering our services to our customers. I am looking forward to being part of the Wavenet team and further helping the Group to develop and deliver the cloud UC components.”
John Whitty will remain with the business and join the executive board with a key role leading the integration of the businesses.
About Wavenet
Formed in 2000, Wavenet has grown to become a leading business to business communications provider with the mission of being the most trusted supplier of voice, data and cloud solutions.
Wavenet is BroadSoft’s (now part of Cisco) longest standing Unified Communications partner in the UK and is a Cisco Cloud and Managed Services Certified Partner.
Providing voice, data and cloud services to over 5000 SME and enterprise customers, Wavenet has offices in Solihull, Warrington and Norfolk and employs 100 staff.
About Solar Communications
Established in 1988, Solar’s roots lie in traditional PBX reselling. Over its 30-year history, Solar has evolved with the market developing into a thriving Cloud Unified Communications specialist.
Solar Communications has offices in Chippenham, Cardiff, Harlow and Manchester and employs around 100 people.
A testament to Solar’s continued development and commitment to ensuring the best service possible, it is a Platinum partner of Mitel, a Microsoft Silver partner as well as a summit partner of Silver Peak. Furthermore, it has been recognised by the Sunday Times Tech Track 100, Deloitte’s Technology Fast500, the London Stock Exchange’s 1000 Companies to Inspire Britain for 2 consecutive years and has also been listed as a Sunday Times Best Companies to Work For ‘one to watch’ organisation for 3 consecutive years.
