Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Astro Communications Ltd set to become a niche ISP, with help from the TIGER fund.

Astro Communication’s strategy to become a leading UK niche ISP has been accelerated by being granted regional growth funding by Kent County Council.

Kent, UK 4th August 2014

With 30 years’ experience in delivering communications solutions to medium and large organisations Astro Communications has big plans to develop its service offering to include internet services and hosting solutions via its own core network to complement the reselling of others’ services. Partly funded through the Kent TIGER scheme Astro is setting about building its own network with links directly into the major network providers in the UK allowing it greater control over the cost and quality of the services it provides.

Steve Smith, co-founder and Technical Director of Astro said “Astro have always focused on providing innovative and reliable services to our customers. By taking this step in delivering our own ISP service, coupled with our existing products and highly technical team, we will be able to ensure that we design and manage every element of the customer’s network and that we provide the best possible service to them”.

Astro has taken on a number of new team members in recent times at all levels within the business to help support this strategy, and with the support of the TIGER fund, plans are well underway to be able to deliver service from the new network within a matter of months.

Steve Hodges, Managing Director went on to say “In 2007 an OFCOM* study found that over 700,000 businesses had connectivity and hosting services provided by a niche ISP and since then this market has gone from strength to strength. Customers choose to go with such suppliers because of the greater flexibly of service, higher levels of customer care and a more customer-centric approach to solution design. Astro have always employed these principles so by being in control of the solutions and choosing very strategic partnerships we feel we can bring a broader range of services to our customers”.

“Both the validation of our business plan and the financial support from Kent’s TIGER scheme has given us a real boost in terms of the timing and effectiveness of this project. So many businesses in our sector just rely on selling other companies services and adding their margin on top. With our own network, our own IPV4 and IPV6 address space and our own Network Operations Centre we really will be able to take our services to the next level” he concluded.

In a market that is seeing an increase in mergers and acquisitions and is dominated by a select few communications providers, Astro is confident that its independence, dedication to customer service and culture of technical excellence will support the development of the business and the realisation of its ambitious growth plans.

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For further information, please contact:

Astro Communications – Steve Smith, steve.smith@astro.co.uk or Steve Hodges steve.hodges@astro.co.uk on +44 (0)203 058 7770

Tiger Fund – Jacqui Ward, Regional Growth Fund Programme Manager, Expansion East Kent, Jacqui.Ward@kent.gov.uk

About Astro Communications.

Astro Communications Limited has been delivering technical solutions to solve business challenges for nearly 30 years. Founded by two former employees of BT and Cable and Wireless, Astro has gone on to deliver some of the most technically challenging and complex solutions in the market.

Providing services ranging from physical cabling and wireless LAN’s to cloud-based video conferencing and SIP services, key clients include Bourne Leisure Limited, Impellam Group PLC, Capital FM Arena, TGI Friday’s and Wightlink Ferries.

Astro Communications is headquartered in Hawley Manor, Dartford with staff based all over the country and partner organisations across the globe.

Notes to editors

1. For more information on Kent Tiger funding please visit: http://www.kent.gov.uk/business/business-loans-and-funding/tiger-loans

* The Communications Market Special Report Niche ISPs 25 January 2007