As Tim Loveday (Head of New Business and Channel Sales) celebrates his remarkable two-year journey with Gigabit Networks, we had the privilege of sitting down with him to reflect on the incredible growth and transformation this company has witnessed during his tenure. In this exclusive interview, Tim takes us on a captivating ride through the company’s evolution, the dynamic industry trends in full-fibre technology, his insights on Gigabit Network’s market competitiveness, the expanding partnerships and collaborations that have fueled their success, and his exciting vision for the future. This conversation offers a unique glimpse into the heart of Gigabit Networks and the driving force behind its impressive rise in the world of connectivity.
What Has the Company’s Growth and Transformation Been Like in the Last Two Years?
Tim: The company has changed exponentially since I joined in 2021. We have gone from 3 to 23 staff and upped revenues 10-fold in that period of trading! Honestly, when I started at the business, we were very much still in startup mode, the network was still being built, and we were still finding our feet in terms of the product and go-to-market strategy. Over a two-year period, we have managed to productise the services that we deliver, define clear routes to market and build those effectively, and drive monthly run rate revenues into the business, which now means we are turning a profit rather than burning cash. The achievements above mean that we are now effectively in scale-up mode, where we are looking for continued sustainable growth to get to our aim of being one of the largest and most successful FTTP aggregators in the UK.
In terms of staff, we have made a number of strategic hires across those two years, bringing in seasoned channel talent to make sure we can help deliver the growth plans that we have. Of course, scaling is always a relatively challenging process, and hiring staff can be a lottery, but through our internship and apprenticeship programmes, we have managed to bring in young talent from local areas and train them up to be the people that we need within our business to help us achieve the goals that we have.
What Has Been the Industry Trends and Full-fibre Advancements During This Period?
Tim: In terms of the FTTP landscape, a lot has changed in the last two years, and there are some significant milestones to come over the next two years as well. The PSTN switch-off is, of course, fueling the delivery of FTTP, and we are capitalising on this as best we can. We are now seeing FTTP cover a significant amount of the population, and this is only set to grow. Openreach is now opening its infrastructure for other carriers to deliver across, and that will only accelerate the delivery of the new technology. All of this leads to more access to the internet and clouds, which speeds up working environments, gaming environments, the ability to do homework online, and so on. The possibilities are literally endless with this.
The biggest change to come in the FTTP arena, aside from the obvious switch-off, will be the TOTSCO switching process, which brings some regulation as to how we can switch FTTP between carriers and how the customer is looked after. Much like how broadband was regulated many years ago, this will bring some uniformity to how a customer can move between suppliers and ensure that they aren’t misled or duped by overzealous sales techniques. There is still a lot of work to do here, and I see some speed bumps on the road ahead, but all in all, I think this will be a great addition to the industry and will protect consumers, businesses, and ISP’s alike when we hit the full scale of FTTP in the UK.
What Do You Have to Say About Gigabit Network’s Market Position and Competitiveness?
Tim: From a competitive point of view, I think we are able to punch way above our weight in this industry. The supplier relationships we have, the network we have built, and the commercials we have managed to secure allow us to compete with the big boys like Vodafone, Giacom and Talk Talk, but without the huge overheads and head counts that they have. Not only are we extremely competitive in the consumer space, but we are also able to be keen on pricing within the channel while being fleet of foot and able to offer true partnership options that you won’t get elsewhere. As a channel veteran, we all know that people buy people, and the fact that my sales team and I can give a real personal service pays dividends for us and is a real focus of our channel model moving forward.
As we progress through the end of 2023 and into 2024, we will continue to deliver cutting-edge products in terms of speed and availability, as well as adding additional carriers to the mix, which will continue to enhance our product range for consumers and channel partners alike. Watch this space for some exciting news on all fronts. Connectivity is key in our lives today, and we will aim to ensure that we can always deliver you the best options for any opportunity that you may stumble across.
Success breeds success, as we know, and all the above has led us to a few awards across the last few years: Channel Champions Marketing Team of the Year, Best ISP in the Midlands, Best Emerging ISP, Best Supplier of Urban Broadband—the list goes on. We are, of course, very proud of these awards, but that’s not what it is all about for us. Knowing that our customers are happy and that they have exceptional service from us is all we need to sleep well at night!
How Has Gigabit Network’s Partnerships and Collaborations Evolved Over the Years?
Tim: Currently, we are partnered with CityFibre, Full Fibre, F&W Networks, BT Wholesale, and a few others, but this list will continue to grow as we do. Having supportive suppliers is one of the keys to our success; they have empowered us to grow and ensure that we are competitive in a tough landscape, and this has driven us to pay this forward to our customers. Above our suppliers, however, our channel partners are the lifeblood of all that we do. They enable us to reach opportunities that we would never get to on our own, and for this, we thank you. As always, the channel has embraced the new technologies that we deliver and consumes them at an incredible rate. They are passionate and enthusiastic about the future products that we are looking to deliver, and we are just as excited and enthusiastic to deliver them to you.
The channel has led us to deliver some outstanding business, from a 24-site storage company to a 500-site coffee shop chain, all perfect examples of the power of the channel and the long-lasting relationships that those channel partners build with their clients. We would like to think that you could ask any of our channel partners what it is like to deal with Gigabit Networks and that they would all give a resounding excellent! But don’t take my word for it; if you would like to talk to a partner, let me know, and I can arrange a chat for you.
Share Your Thoughts About Your Future Outlook and Vision for the Business
Tim: The future is bright for Gigabit Networks. Our mission statement is to be able to deliver sustainable next-generation broadband to all homes and businesses across the UK. We genuinely feel that a good FTTP connection is the last broadband connection you should ever need to buy. With the advent of 2.5Gb, 5Gb, and even 10Gb FTTP around the corner, the possibilities of what we can deliver are quite literally limitless! By the time we get to 2027, copper will be a thing of the past and the future will be solely glass fibre broadband, which means we are perfectly positioned to be one of the premier suppliers of these services to the UK channel as we evolve into that next iteration of what the UK communications industry looks like.
What Do You Think About Your Personal Growth and Leadership During This Period?
Tim: From a personal perspective, working at Gigabit Networks has given me the chance to grow both personally and professionally. We are lucky enough to have an amazing owner and mentor here, and he has molded and shaped the SLT to be able to drive the business towards its goals while still giving us all the freedom to make informed decisions and ensure that we always have the business’s best interests at heart. I have certainly learned a lot from his style of leadership, and as such, I employ these management strategies with the staff that we have brought on board over the last two years.
In summary, the last two years have been an absolute roller coaster, but the type of ride that leaves you wanting to get straight back on and go again, but next time with bigger dips and more loop-de-loops! Gigabit Networks is a name that will be here to stay in the channel, and I would welcome anyone to come and speak to us about how we can work together and help bring the next generation of connectivity to your customer base. Drop me a line (partners@gigabitnetworks.co.uk), or request a partner pack here. There is always a space in my diary for a quick team!