UK tech company Radius snaps up Dublin-based Telcom

13 Dec 2021

Radius founder and CEO Bill Holmes. Image: Radius

Radius has been rapidly expanding its reach on the island of Ireland with a new hub in Belfast last month and now the acquisition of Telcom.

UK-based Radius Payment Solutions has acquired a majority stake in Dublin telecommunications company Telcom, expanding its services in Ireland and the UK.

This marks the first major acquisition by Radius in the Republic of Ireland and its 10th overall acquisition in recent years.

Founded in 1999, Telcom operates in the B2B market in Ireland, offering a range of communications services. Its high-speed ISP core network serves clients based in Ireland including companies and brands such as produce company Fyffes, real estate agency Savills and fuel supplier Maxol.

Bill Holmes, founder and CEO of Radius, said that the strategic acquisition of Telcom will help the two companies expand their services and suite of products across Ireland and the UK as legacy telecoms become “depleted” and the Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) is set for switch-off by 2025.

“The future lies in the migration of all voice and data telecommunications on high-speed ISP networks and together we are perfectly poised to take further advantage of this significant transition, helping businesses navigate the challenge by adding value and building capacity for future growth,” he said.

Last month, Radius opened a major new base in Belfast city centre that will accommodate teams from its telco division Radius Connect. With more than 130 staff, the new office will also be the financial hub of Radius Connect in Europe.

Liam Tully, founder and CTO of Telcom, said that the acquisition comes “at an exciting time of growth” for the company and that the vision of Radius is aligned with that of Telcom.

“With the acceleration of digital transformation, businesses of all sizes will rely more and more on high-speed, cost-effective and enterprise-class fibre services. This partnership with Radius allows us to achieve our ambitions for growth within the Irish and UK market.”

Radius is headquartered in Crewe, UK, and was founded in 1990 by Holmes. It has more than 2,000 employees across 18 countries and more than 20 offices in Ireland and the UK, including Belfast, Dublin, Derry and Galway. It has an annual turnover of more than £2.6bn.

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Vish Gain is a journalist with Silicon Republic

editorial@siliconrepublic.com