Wavenet has announced the acquisition of VIA (Smart Hosted Solutions Limited) for an undisclosed sum. Wavenet, backed by Beech Tree Private Equity, says it is boosting its Microsoft Teams platform, TeamsLink, by adding the experience of VIA into its solution and service portfolio. Wavenet has its own automated platform from which it offers multiple connectivity and cloud-based communication services to direct customers and resellers. It will be integrating VIA’s platform to offer more options to customers.
“This acquisition will significantly strengthen Wavenet Group’s expertise in Office 365 and Microsoft Teams,” it said. “This expertise, in combination with the recently launched TeamsLink service, puts Wavenet in an enviable position to provide businesses with a market-leading Teams Calling solution.”
It said the combination of the businesses brings the benefits of scale, broader geographic reach, a stronger management team and “significant enhancements” to the UC and Teams services the group can now offer its customers. Wavenet is based in Solihull, West Midlands and VIA is based in Nottingham.
The acquisition gives VIA’s customers access to Wavenet’s long-standing telecoms partnerships and its teams of trained engineers across the group portfolio. After launching in 2012, VIA quickly grew to become a leading UK Skype for Business provider and it has transitioned to Microsoft Teams as it gained popularity over the last 12 months.
Philip Grannum (pictured), CCO of Wavenet, said: “VIA is an exciting addition to the Group that brings highly valuable expertise and a passion for innovation that we are always looking for. Its combination with the wider Wavenet Group will accelerate growth in our flagship TeamsLink product.
“VIA has been extremely successful in building the platform and management portal for its Microsoft Teams services and we are looking forward to integrating them for the benefit of all our customers and partners.”
The VIA team will join the Wavenet Group. Alex Tebbs, co-founder and sales director of VIA, said: “Since starting VIA it has been incredibly exciting, driving the business through several years of Microsoft UC evolution, from Lync to Skype for Business and now Teams. The acquisition is the next stage in this journey and provides existing and new customers with an enormous opportunity to get even more out of Microsoft Teams by leveraging the additional products and services Wavenet is able to offer.”
VIA’s management portal and service will be integrated with Wavenet’s networking, security and technology services.
Formed in 2000, 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. It has offices in Solihull, Salford, Norwich and Cardiff and employs 200 people, including 100 trained support staff and engineers. Wavenet’s buy and build strategy is being funded by a £75m loan facility secured in 2018. It went on to acquire Solar Communications and previous acquisitions include APR Telecoms, Swains and Talk Internet.
TechMarketView analyst Martin Courtney said: “Wavenet is on course to become one of the largest suppliers of hosted voice, data and cloud solutions in the UK, competing with the likes of Daisy, Redcentric and Timico for public and private sector business.”
