The unified communication-as-a-service provider, Access4, has announced the acquisition of Perth-headquartered BroadWorks provider Novum Networks.
The acquisition will consolidate Novum's network and platform into Access4's industry-leading voice and UC environment, headlined by its internally developed OSS/BSS platform, SASBOSS.
“There are natural synergies between the businesses and a great culture fit. We believe we are better together, and with Novum's presence on the west coast and our growing presence on the east coast and New Zealand, this is a great outcome for the MSP community," says Tim Jackson, Managing Director, Access4.
“With both businesses focusing on a channel-only model, we can integrate the businesses with relative ease to recognise a stronger and larger footprint in the region. At the same time, with growing demand for voice and UC services in small to medium businesses across ANZ, the MSP channel is actively seeking quality and affordable solutions to increase its recurring revenue."
Access4 has partnered with MSPs since 2016 and has seen its partner base grow close to 400 partners in Australia and New Zealand.
Novum commenced operations at a similar time and has grown to service a significant proportion of the communication services provider (CSP) and MSP markets in Australia with around 50 partners.
Access4’s acquisition of Novum Networks will result in the company having more than 80 employees around the country.
Novum Networks Managing Director, Nigel Keswick, explains the acquisition would enable the combined entity to scale rapidly.
“We compete directly with Access4 and have done so for a number of years. Their approach to growing the business and investing in their own IP with SASBOSS was a different model and one we didn’t embark on. We saw the benefits in combining the entities and bringing the unique skill sets of both businesses together to ensure we continue to be the leaders in voice and unified communications for the channel in ANZ.”
“We are both long term BroadWorks providers and although we have recently expanded our product portfolio, Access4 has a significantly larger SaaS catalogue for our partners to utilise and broaden their customers’ recurring revenue spend. We look forward to joining the Access4 business with our highly skilled team, further enabling our partners and customers to grow and succeed, and helping the combined entity drive growth in a mature UCaaS market that has latent demand post the pandemic.”
Access4's approach to servicing the channel has evolved since its inception in 2016, with dedicated teams to acquire, onboard, train and support partners in the sale and support of their UC products. With a broad range of carrier-grade voice products and industry-leading UC products coupled with analytics and contact centre solutions, they have become a recognisable brand in the UC and channel.
“We have an active mandate to acquire channel focused businesses with similar synergies that can leverage our significant investment in SASBOSS and our growing reputation as a channel first business that invests heavily in the success of our partners. Access4’s mergers and acquisitions strategy, led by our Executive Chairman, Scott Carter, is actively on the lookout for complimentary businesses that will add to the strong organic growth we have experienced over the past seven years,” adds Jackson.
