Altnets was launched in 2020 by Directors Paul Britnell and Sam Bangle to support the needs of the UK telecoms market as the nation upgrades to full fibre broadband networks. The name ‘Altnets’ was inspired by the industry slang for ‘Alternative Networks’. Altnets exists to support smaller independent Internet Service Providers with their supply chain requirements, offering all the build materials they need for their network infrastructure, from fibre cables, ducts and nodes to access chambers.
Paul Britnell has over 20 years’ experience in fibre optics and distribution, and drew on his in-depth knowledge of the telecoms supply chain to set up Altnets. Paul says:
“Having previously worked in exporting telecoms products to European countries switching to full fibre networks, I knew I was well-placed to support the roll out in the UK as it progresses.
“The concept behind Altnets is to offer our telecoms clients the ‘full package’ – product procurement, supply chain management, planning, forecasting and scheduling. Our team assists customers throughout their build journey, from understanding what they are purchasing, confirming exactly what they need to order (therefore reducing compatibility issues), and clearly outlining what they can expect to be delivered – whether it’s a small package or 100 pallets!
“What Altnets does is support our customers’ procurement teams, giving advance warning of any complexities and bottle necks in the supply chain, to provide them with confidence that they will receive the products needed in a timely manner to continue their network build (and avoid potential issues).”
Sam Bangle’s background in the tech and IT industry was the perfect jumping-off point to entering the telecoms industry. Sam says:
“I’ve always wanted to run my own business, so spent my early career gaining the skills and experience which led me to partner with Paul to launch Altnets in 2020.
“I’m really proud of our success to date and the positive feedback we receive from both our clients and our manufacturing partners. When we started up the company, Paul and I were adamant that we would only partner with the best manufacturers in the industry and through our connections, knowledge base and a lot of due diligence, I’m confident we have achieved this for our clients.
“Paul and I are all too aware of the amount a supply chain delay can cost a business, which is why we created the model for Altnets. Our range of suppliers means there is always a solution to accessing the products customers need. A long lead time or delay in delivery can hold up a telecoms build and increase overheads for telecoms providers – Altnets is here to prevent that happening.”
For more information on how Altnets works, go to our Services page.
