UK Rural Wireless ISP Voneus Acquires Broadband Rival SugarNet

Alternative ISP Voneus, which has deployed their ‘up to’ 100Mbps capable and fibre optic fed fixed wireless broadband network into a number of UK rural areas, has now acquired another rival provider – SugarNet – for an undisclosed sum. The move follows last October’s acquisition (here) of Cotswold Wireless.

As a limited ISP SugarNet hasn’t been around for all that long (we first added them to our UK ISP Database in 2016 but they have existed for longer) and they’re known to have a number of networks deployed to a few rural communities, such as around parts of Oxfordshire, Northamptonshire, Warwickshire in England and the Gower peninsula in South Wales.

Today’s announcement means that Voneus will be able to expand their network footprint into additional communities, which they claim should provide them with the capability to “potentially connect” an additional 2,000 premises (homes and businesses), all of which are within reach of SugarNet’s existing infrastructure. All of SugarNet’s employees will remain with Voneus at their current premises near Banbury, Oxfordshire.

Steve Leighton, CEO of Voneus, said:

“SugarNet and Voneus have always had very similar missions – to bring superfast broadband services to those UK communities that fall outside the reach of today’s fixed networks and are left frustrated by poor internet speeds.

In just five years, SugarNet has built an impressive business, with a range of innovative services backed up with fantastic customer service. By joining forces, we are in an even greater position to develop new services and bring yet more communities into the high speed digital age.”

Oliver Helm, Owner and MD of SugarNet, said:

“Our decision to become part of Voneus was made with our customers’ needs at heart. The additional resources and manpower that come from being part of Voneus mean we can deliver yet more services to existing customers, provide enhanced customer support and further cut the time it takes to bring new customers online.”

The current spate of acquisitions are being funded by an investment of £5.3 million that was secured by Voneus last June 2017. SugarNet’s customers will now gain an increased choice of services, including an option to remain on their current tariffs or switch to one of Voneus’ business or residential packages.

The deal means Voneus’ network now spans various villages in Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Cheshire, Devon, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Somerset, South Wales, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Northamptonshire and Wiltshire.