MARCUS ALLCHURCH
Managing Partner
Established broadband provider Call Flow has closed a €30 million growth investment round from European investors.
The funding will enable Trooli to bring ultrafast, full-fibre broadband to additional small towns across South East England. This investment is the first step in Trooli’s ambition to build full-fibre networks that pass over 500,000 premises in the next five years, starting in towns and villages across Kent that are usually among the last to benefit from access to ultrafast broadband. New Fibre to the Home (FTTH) networks will be built and operated under the Trooli brand, which includes existing FTTH networks passing over 6,000 premises. Call Flow, founded by ex-BT executive Andy Conibere in 2002, will continue to operate Fibre To The Cabinet (FTTC) networks it previously built, passing over 12,000 premises.
Trooli seeks to accelerate the availability of full-fibre broadband in the UK. With just 7% of premises currently able to access full-fibre, the UK is lagging significantly behind many European markets. Trooli utilises FTTH technology to bring future-proof digital infrastructure to its customers and communities. The initial symmetrical connection speeds range from 300 Mbps to 1,000 Mbps (1 Gigabit) – a ten-fold increase on typical speeds available in these areas.
“There is an urgent need for the higher broadband speeds and more reliable services that only true fibre offers over copper alternatives, particularly in small towns where internet users feel left behind”, Ashley Atkins, CFO of Trooli, commented. “This investment will enable us to ramp up our build rate and use our rapid deployment method to meet this demand with our ultra-fast broadband services”, he added.
About Call Flow:
Call Flow is a broadband network operator established in Kent in 2002 based in East Peckham. In 2018, it started construction of FTTH networks under the Trooli brand now passing 6,000 premises. FTTP locations are Kings Hill, Paddock Wood & Hawking in Kent and Ropley & Bramdean in Hampshire.
Call Flow has built FTTC networks passing over 12,000 premises and operates as an ISP in Kent, Hampshire, Berkshire & East Sussex.
Ashley Atkins, CFO at Call Flow:
“As the shareholders in a capital intensive business, with plans to get on with building our FTTP network, we wanted to appoint an advisor who understood our business and who could quickly introduce us to the right investors. Marcus and his team were great – they added value from day one, bringing a knowledgeable perspective to the management team, and had arranged investors meetings within days. Thereafter, we had offers in a month and the team helped us to unpack those and choose the investor that was right for us, before advising us very effectively through the process of legal documentation and due diligence. I would have no hesitation in recommending Acuity to anyone who is contemplating a transaction and who wants a genuinely informed advisor that will be with you every step of the way.”
Marcus Allchurch, Partner at Acuity Advisors:
“I am thrilled to deliver €30 million in order to fund the roll out of Call Flow’s full-fibre network across the South East of England. In an increasingly crowded marketplace for fibre growth businesses, it is vital that good teams are able to clearly differentiate themselves to maximise options and terms; Call Flow’s team is exceptional, and I look forward to supporting Andy Conibere and his team as they rapidly scale and build out the network.”
Richard Baker, Supporting Partner at Acuity Advisors:
“Another excellent result delivered by Acuity. This investment will enable Call Flow’s vision of accelerating the availability of full-fibre broadband in the UK under the Trooli brand. The Call Flow transaction, led by Marcus and his team, cements Acuity’s place as the go-to M&A advisor for the telecoms sector.”
“As the shareholders in a capital intensive business, with plans to get on with building our FTTP network, we wanted to appoint an advisor who understood our business and who could quickly introduce us to the right investors. Marcus and his team were great – they added value from day one, bringing a knowledgeable perspective to the management team, and had arranged investors meetings within days. Thereafter, we had offers in a month and the team helped us to unpack those and choose the investor that was right for us, before advising us very effectively through the process of legal documentation and due diligence. I would have no hesitation in recommending Acuity to anyone who is contemplating a transaction and who wants a genuinely informed advisor that will be with you every step of the way.”
ASHELY ATKINS | CFO
Call Flow
Marcus joined Acuity in 2014, before which he held senior leadership and corporate finance positions with some of the UK’s most successful advisory and telecoms businesses. Roles with EE, KPMG Corporate Finance and BDO Corporate Finance have seen Marcus work in the UK and across the globe with successful entrepreneurs seeking exit, and at board level with multi-national corporates looking for growth through organic and inorganic investment.