Timico acquire Coms

Independent business internet, hosting and communications service provider Timico has acquired the telecoms interests of Coms Plc, the Buckinghamshire-based provider of hosted unified communications, cloud and connectivity services.

In addition to the business assets, Timico will be taking on immediate responsibility for the customers contracted to Coms for their communications services.

http://techcitynews.com/2015/05/26/timico-acquires-t...

I was about to leave Coms for Xilo but cant now as Xilo not taking orders until June. Hoping to get out before Timico take over. Anyone heard much about them? Seems they have a decent reputation but know nothing about thier network - is it a reseller or what?

They were (are?) a predominantly business ISP who bought Newnet a few years ago, I believe largely for the Newnet business customers. They steadily made the consumer side quite expensive. I don't think they were really interested in that.

Sounds a bit like Coms and their ADSL24 takeover, but more successful. At least the Newnet service didn't collapse.

You could ask in the Newnet forum here what anyone there thinks of them.

Edited by RobertoS (Tue 26-May-15 14:16:11)

Cheers. Posted in the Newnet forum so feel free to close this one

On a more broad subject of takeovers, how long do these things normally take? Im hoping i can get a mac and sign up to Xilo (once they start taking orders again) before Timico takeover and shift customers. Just saves hassle of moving twice

Edited by bobble_bob (Tue 26-May-15 14:35:10)

Looks like it is already completed. The link you gave isn't much less than the Timico Press Release today.

No doubt you will soon get an email from them with more information. I doubt if you'll notice anything for a while.

Got an email from them after i asked about whats likely to change. They said they will shortly be moving customers over but will email with details once everything been finalise.

Seems the deal wont go through until the 31st, so hopefully Xilo will allow signup nexts Monday and i can leave asap

You might have a problem for a few days if they actually migrate you to their own system/IP range rather than continuing to use the Coms network for a while.

That would require them placing relevant orders on the line, which would mean Xilo couldn't until those were completed.

Look at it another way! You've already had a quick response. How likely would that have been with Coms?

True. 2 replies within a few hours

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

They were (are?) a predominantly business ISP who bought Newnet a few years ago, I believe largely for the Newnet business customers. They steadily made the consumer side quite expensive. I don't think they were really interested in that.

I think that's right. Their main area is unified comms, IP telephony and integration with mobile. Throw in hosting and cloud services and you've got a predominantly business ISP. Their Broadband network is simply the platform on which to hang other services, which is where the money is for the smaller ISP.

AFAICT, they're well managed and very good at what they do, but their prices start to make iDNet, AAISP and Zen look cheap.

Edited by Tacitus (Tue 26-May-15 18:27:56)

Not quite sure how they expect to keep Coms customers then. You buy an ISP, put the prices up alot then people will more than likely leave

Because it's the business side they want.

Well aslong as moving means you arent locked into a new 12 month contract (dont see how they can) they i will be leaving anyway

That would require them placing relevant orders on the line, which would mean Xilo couldn't until those were completed.

Would i have issues the other way around. Say i pre-empted Coms and got a MAC and used it to sign up to a new ISP. Would they still be able to generate one for the move to Timico or not if my migration was still pending

I don't think so - in theory the Xilo order should go through.

However they almost certainly won't move individual lines using MACs. They are able to order block moves.

Bearing in mind that they have five working days to issue you the MAC, and will probably be placing those orders very soon if not already having done so ....

No harm in trying. You certainly cannot lose by trying.

Another factor. Who is your line rental with and what are your intentions over that?

Ive asked Timico about that and they say they do offer SMPF (which im on now) so wont be changing that. Prefer to be on a TTB LLU service with BT phone.

Edited by bobble_bob (Wed 27-May-15 06:31:40)

Just a bit off the beaten path, but why isn't Xilo taking orders?

Xilo are finally going ahead with moving their broadband under the Uno brand. As part of this process, they've stopped selling broadband under the Xilo brand (the Xilo web site currently has hosting and domain products, but no broadband), but have not yet finalised the Uno packages or started taking Uno broadband orders.

Edited by deleted (Wed 27-May-15 01:15:23)

Many thanks.

so coms buys adsl24, and then someone buys coms.

Seems all short term venture capitalists.

Who will buy timico?

Coms were never in the broadband market before buying ADSL24. They had to set up a whole network. Think they were in over their heads

So ive now successfully migrated ISP, and in the process of trying to get Coms to close my account (ive paid the notice period). This is easier said than done. Just got an email from Timico saying they will move customers over to them in a few week.

Seeing as ive migrated ISP, can Coms do anything to my line? I dont want them trying to move me over to Timico because they think im still with them when im not

Tried phoning and emailing and dont get anywhere. Ive emailed Timico to tell them ive left and to close the account

Managed to get my account closed with Coms. Had to contact the Finance Director of TImico to do it, and after a few emails back and forth its been done.

Funny that Coms staff are still running my account and didnt close it, yet the guy who company they're moving Coms customers in a few week did

Edited by bobble_bob (Mon 08-Jun-15 16:48:22)