CEO of UK Broadband Altnet MS3 to Step Down at Christmas After 4 Years UPDATE
The CEO of Hull-based alternative UK network operator MS3, Guy Miller, has today announced his intention to “step away” from the company at Christmas after an “incredible four years“. The provider’s full fibre (FTTP) broadband network currently covers 234,000 premises (212k RFS) in the North of England and has connected 20,000 customers.
The provider, which offers access to its network at wholesale for retail ISPs to harness, has become known for helping to weaken KCOM’s grip on the broadband market in Hull (East Yorkshire). But in recent times they’ve also had to slow their network build in order to focus more on commercialisation of their existing network, due to wider market pressures (here).
Guy’s full statement doesn’t explain why he’s leaving, although that’s not uncommon when bosses depart. Tony Jopling, the current Chief Operating Officer (COO), who has been with the business since 2023, will now become the new CEO in the New Year (2026).
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Guy Miller said:
“A couple of weeks ago I announced internally that I will be stepping away from MS3 at Christmas. It’s been an incredible four years, but the time is right now for this amazing local business to be run by an incredible local team.
In that time we’ve secured over £100m in investment, taken the business to over 20,000 customers and 200,000 RFS, signed 40+ wholesale partners including recently Zen Internet and PXC, we’ve won Fibre Provider of the Year twice in a row and set the record for most award wins; we’re maintaining an amazing 4.8 stars on Trust Pilot, we’re debt-free, about to have our first EBITDA+ year and are fully funded to cashflow positive.
Not only that but we have done this all in the one part of the country that everybody said was impossible to compete in. The monopoly is on its way to being over.
We’ve built one of the most sustainable, efficient and dynamic altnets in the UK and with a ruthless focus now on commercialisation, it is the right time to put the business in Tony Jopling’s extremely capable hands. As someone who has spent his adult life passionately working in telecoms in Hull, there is no-one better to ensure MS3 reaches its full potential.
Every day our team work to improve the financial position of their neighbours, of their friends and of their families who for years in the area have been overcharged and had no choices when it came to broadband. It’s fitting that the business is now again run by an amazing leadership team made up of local people who understand what their communities really need.
I will leave at the end of the year with a little part of me left behind in Hull.”
Tony Jopling, who previously had leadership roles at KCOM and Pure Broadband, said: “I’m extremely proud of what we’ve achieved as a business to date and would like to sincerely thank Guy for his leadership and passion, which has been instrumental in achieving so many of our key milestones. As someone who has lived in the local area all my life, I am honoured to lead the next phase of our journey.”
UPDATE 1:02pm
Added a little extra detail above (e.g. new CEO) after the official PR dropped into our inbox.
Mark is a professional technology writer, IT consultant and computer engineer from Dorset (England), he also founded ISPreview in 1999 and enjoys analysing the latest telecoms and broadband developments. Find me on X (Twitter), Mastodon, Facebook, BlueSky, Threads.net and Linkedin.
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Ahh, that’s a shame! Seems to have a done a decent job at getting things done and over the line in the Hull area, despite some of the backlash! I know he liked to leave the odd comment on articles here too. All the best Guy!
I know exactly what both Guy and Connexin’s CEO will be famous for ! Blighting streets of Hull and surrounding villages with duplicate and triplicate telegraph poles . Installing poles where all KCOMs were underground . Poor health and safety practises of their supervisors and contractors. Some of this infrastructure not even having fibre connected between the poles so just poles with no use ,and much with little or no connections to residences .I’m sure you have had to cut back your deployment as you never checked whether it was required before . Many would have welcomed the choice of ISPs without the duplication or triplication of infrastructure .
Or, maybe, they’ll be known for introducing competition which forced KCOM to reduce the cost to the customer? Remove Connexin and MS3 and KCOM would be still happily charging you £50-£80 a month.
KCOM were asking for too much, hence the need for the build. The fact multiple providers have opted for their own installs shows you this.
Some poles haven’t been connected yet, this takes time.
Most customers are tied into 24 month contracts with other providers, so uptake will initially be slow. You can’t terminate an existing contract and move to another provider for free.
Not sure how many more times these things need to be pointed out to you?
Here comes CityFibre!