NEWS EXTRA EXCLUSIVE REPORTS
Telecom gurus to push mobile
C
ENTREPRENEURS BRING HOLY GRAIL TO COMMS RESELLERS omms
entrepreneurs Simon Payne and Alan Shraga
have collaborated with O2 to provide what for many in the comms channel is regarded as the holy grail – ownership of a mobile customer. Now the driving forces behind the Fidelity Group, this dynamic duo aim to replicate big successes in the fixed line space, but this time with mobile on board.
Payne and Shraga, along with billing guru Howard Richards, resurfaced into the channel under the Fidelity Group brand 18 months ago after enjoying the fruits of selling two successful fixed line wholesale businesses, Cable Telecom and VNetworks, giving scores of resellers substantial payouts into the bargain. Now, with O2’s support they are committed to applying their successful fixed line model onto the mobile resale market.
Payne is a serial telecoms entrepreneur and the capital sums he and Shraga have accrued enabled them to fund Fidelity’s rapid development and support the ambitions of channel partners. Comms Dealer caught up with Payne near his UK home on the south coast where he enthusiastically revealed details of the Fidelity O2 offer, which he firmly believes will
Simon Payne
“We are convinced most resellers want to have customer ownership”
revolutionise the way resellers monetise mobile business opportunities.
“Our deal with O2 gives resellers three options,” he explained. “Option one is that they can become a Fidelity dealer and take a commission on O2 minutes. This is probably not what most partners are seeking but it’s a low risk option that may appeal to some companies. Option two is where they become a Fidelity wholesaler, meaning they can build their own tariffs, bill the customer, own the customer and have responsibility for the customer’s debts. It also means that the wholesaler will need to carry the financial burden of handset finance and management. Our Anvil billing system seamlessly provides all the data the wholesaler will need to manage their clients professionally.”
Option three is a hybrid of both which, according to
Payne, is a new concept in the marketplace. “The concept is simple,” he said. “It fills the gap between the wholesale and dealer offer whereby the partner can have co-ownership of the customer and a share of the profit, without the responsibility of the debt or paying a bond to the network. Also, many resellers fall at the first hurdle meeting the cost of handsets which, with high end smartphones in such demand, can be expensive. Fidelity will take that debt burden away because we have the financial strength behind us.”
Within the agreement, noted Payne, Fidelity will raise the invoices, which are co-branded, and take on responsibility for the debt, but the reseller still owns their share of the customer. “The ownership is essential if ever the partner chooses to sell their client base, company or raise finance against the asset value,” added Payne.
“We are convinced most resellers want to have customer ownership. The hybrid solution is suitable for ambitious resellers that have a mind to sell the business at some time in the future and achieve maximum value from the sale. And the savings in terms of branding, billing and capital investment on handsets make this a win-win solution for the reseller.”
Churchill in Daisy move
D
aisy Wholesale has beefed up its product portfolio
and appointed former murphx’ Commercial Director, Carl Churchill, as Managing Director. Alongside the former murphx management team, Churchill will head- up a combined team from murphx and Daisy, providing channel support to Daisy Wholesale’s 850 partners and giving access to a broad portfolio encompassing four product areas: Network Services, Mobile Solutions, Data Solutions and Systems Services. Daisy acquired murphx in June 2010 and the business has now been fully integrated into Daisy Wholesale.
Daisy Group CEO, Matthew Riley, believes Daisy Wholesale is now in a prime position to offer resellers a fully unified proposition with a support network geared towards helping businesses grow. “We want to help build and grow resellers’ businesses through innovation and entrepreneurial experience,” said Riley. “Having started the business from a garage nine years ago, we know what it is like building a business from nothing. We want to help resellers build their businesses and provide them with the products and support to achieve that growth.
n
“With the drive and enthusiasm of Carl and
Have you booked your table for The Comms National Awards yet? Visit
cnawards.com
30 COMMS DEALER OCTOBER 2010 Carl Churchill
the murphx team, these are exciting times for Daisy Wholesale and our partners. With the experience and knowledge of the people who have joined us through our acquisitions, our partners will benefit from a fully unified product offering combined with greater help and support.”
Churchill added: “As resellers demand more from communications providers, we have created a business that occupies a strong position in the channel. Combining the prominent strengths of Daisy, murphx and the acquired businesses, we have a firm focus on delivering services that are supported by a skilled and customer-focused team.”
Daisy Wholesale offers pre- sales support, the delivery of voice and data solutions, lines, calls, broadband solutions, hosting, mobile and BlackBerry. “We also have the capability to provide branded billing as well as leveraging the Group’s own engineering team, Servassure. This is an extensive portfolio for new and existing partners,” added Churchill.
www.comms-dealer.com
n
Hospitality Sponsor
www.comms-dealer.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60