Manx Telecom
Encyclopedia
Manx Telecom is the primary provider of broadband
and telecommunication
s on the Isle of Man. It was acquired by Telefónica
in , but was sold to two private equity groups in 2010.
, and later British Telecommunications, and operated as part of the Liverpool
telephone district.
In 1985, the Manx Government
announced that it would award a 20-year licence to operate the telephone system in a tender process. As part of this process, in 1986 British Telecom created a Manx-registered subsidiary company, Manx Telecom, to bid for the tender. It was believed that a local identity and management would be more politically acceptable in the tendering process as they competed with Cable & Wireless
to win the licence.
Manx Telecom won the tender, and commenced operations under the new identity from 1 January 1987.
On 17 November 2001, Manx Telecom became part of mmO2 following the demerger of BT Wireless's operations from BT Group.
On 4 June 2010 Manx Telecom was sold to UK private equity investor HG Capital (who were buying the majority stake), alongside telecoms management company CPS Partners. HG Capital indicated that the enterprise value
of the deal was 158.8 million pounds ($232.5 million).
The cell-phone network operated by Manx Telecom had been used by O2 as an environment for developing and testing new products and services prior to wider rollout. In December 2001, the company became the first telecommunications operator in Europe
to launch a live 3G
network. In November 2005, the company became the first in Europe to offer its customers an HSDPA (3.5G) service.
Broadband Internet access
Broadband Internet access, often shortened to just "broadband", is a high data rate, low-latency connection to the Internet— typically contrasted with dial-up access using a 56 kbit/s modem or satellite Internet with inherently high latency....
and telecommunication
Telecommunication
Telecommunication is the transmission of information over significant distances to communicate. In earlier times, telecommunications involved the use of visual signals, such as beacons, smoke signals, semaphore telegraphs, signal flags, and optical heliographs, or audio messages via coded...
s on the Isle of Man. It was acquired by Telefónica
Telefónica
Telefónica, S.A. is a Spanish broadband and telecommunications provider in Europe and Latin America. Operating globally, it is the third largest provider in the world...
in , but was sold to two private equity groups in 2010.
History
Historically, the telephone system in the Isle of Man had been run as a monopoly by the British General Post OfficeGeneral Post Office
General Post Office is the name of the British postal system from 1660 until 1969.General Post Office may also refer to:* General Post Office, Perth* General Post Office, Sydney* General Post Office, Melbourne* General Post Office, Brisbane...
, and later British Telecommunications, and operated as part of the Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
telephone district.
In 1985, the Manx Government
Isle of Man Government
The Isle of Man Government is the government of the Isle of Man. The formal head of the Isle of Man Government is the Lieutenant Governor, representing HM Queen Elizabeth II, Lord of Mann...
announced that it would award a 20-year licence to operate the telephone system in a tender process. As part of this process, in 1986 British Telecom created a Manx-registered subsidiary company, Manx Telecom, to bid for the tender. It was believed that a local identity and management would be more politically acceptable in the tendering process as they competed with Cable & Wireless
Cable & Wireless
Cable & Wireless Worldwide PLC is a global telecommunications company headquartered in Bracknell, United Kingdom. Cable & Wireless specialises in providing communication networks and services to large corporates, governments, carrier customers and resellers...
to win the licence.
Manx Telecom won the tender, and commenced operations under the new identity from 1 January 1987.
On 17 November 2001, Manx Telecom became part of mmO2 following the demerger of BT Wireless's operations from BT Group.
On 4 June 2010 Manx Telecom was sold to UK private equity investor HG Capital (who were buying the majority stake), alongside telecoms management company CPS Partners. HG Capital indicated that the enterprise value
Enterprise value
Enterprise value , Total enterprise value , or Firm value is an economic measure reflecting the market value of a whole business. It is a sum of claims of all the security-holders: debtholders, preferred shareholders, minority shareholders, common equity holders, and others...
of the deal was 158.8 million pounds ($232.5 million).
Operations
Manx Telecom includes two divisions: a mobile division; and a fixed line assets which constituted the first landline operations of Telefónica O2. To that end, Manx Telecom has since invested over £50 million in telecommunications infrastructure on the island, and is committed to a further £30 million investment over the next three years.The cell-phone network operated by Manx Telecom had been used by O2 as an environment for developing and testing new products and services prior to wider rollout. In December 2001, the company became the first telecommunications operator in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
to launch a live 3G
3G
3G or 3rd generation mobile telecommunications is a generation of standards for mobile phones and mobile telecommunication services fulfilling the International Mobile Telecommunications-2000 specifications by the International Telecommunication Union...
network. In November 2005, the company became the first in Europe to offer its customers an HSDPA (3.5G) service.
Principal competitors
- BlueWave Communications
- Cloud9Cloud9-Isle of Man - London - Gibraltar:Cloud9, then part of the Wire9 Telecom Plc group of companies acquired GSM and 3G Mobile Operator Government licenses in both the Isle of Man & Gibraltar in 2007 and were then further offered a GSM operator’s license in Jamaica...
- Sure
- Wi-Manx