Northern Ireland Hosted VoIP Telecoms Reseller Market Guide
Northern Ireland having nationwide gigabit broadband has opened up many opportunities for telecommunications providers. For example, in recent years, we've seen a rise in popularity for hosted Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) solutions - leveraging the benefits of improved broadband availability to extend other operations.
In this market guide, we've uncovered the opportunities, challenges and key resellers shaping the Northern Ireland hosted VoIP and telecoms market, as well as broader connectivity options including broadband and leased lines to provide guidance when navigating the market.
Related Pages
Contents
- VoIP Provider Market Size and Service Penetration in NI
- Demand & Opportunities in NI
- Market Coverage Beyond NI into the UK Market
- Barclay Communications
- BT
- Corporate Telecom
- Daisy Communications
- Fibrus
- Gamma Telecom
- Plusnet
- Simplicity Group
- Sky Wholesale
- Starlink
- TalkTalk Business
- Unify Networks
- Virgin Media
- Vodafone
- Yellowcom
- Zen Internet
Northern Ireland Initiatives & Regulations
It's important to remember that the initiatives and regulations in place in Northern Ireland can differ significantly from the rest of the UK and therefore prospective resellers need to consider their implications or potential benefits.
Public-Private Initiatives
Northern Ireland has become a leader in telecommunications infrastructure through strategic public-private partnerships. Primarily through project Gigabit, Northern Ireland is now capable of delivering nationwide gigabit-capable broadband to areas that are not commercially viable. The UK Government has also committed £5 billion for the hardest to reach parts of the country, which has significantly helped to ensure widespread coverage.
Developed in collaboration with Building Digital UK (BDUK), Project Gigabit follows the successful Superfast broadband programme and Project Stratum, which have already helped position Northern Ireland ahead of other UK nations in many connectivity metrics.
NI-Specific Policies that affect Telecom Reseller Ireland
Northern Ireland operates under specific telecommunications regulations that govern the market. For example, the Valuation Regulations of 2003 revoked previous regulations from 1997, establishing a framework for telecommunications infrastructure valuation - determining how telecommunications assets are valued for business rates purposes, directly affecting operational costs for providers.
VoIP Provider Market Size and Service Penetration in NI
According to Ofcom's Connected Nations Northern Ireland Report 2024, approximately 760,000 homes in Northern Ireland can now access full fibre broadband, which represents 93% of NI properties and the highest availability rate across all four of the UK nations. Given how widespread fibre broadband is in Northern Ireland, this provides an ideal foundation for hosted VoIP services due to the high bandwidth and low latency on offer.
This foundation is emphasised by the expected growth for the VoIP market in Northern Ireland (and the wider UK), with the market across the UK projected to grow by $4.3 billion between 2023 and 2028, an annual growth rate of 8.3%.
Demand & Opportunities in NI
Whilst we've already mentioned how full fibre coverage has become a major driving factor for hosted VoIP in Northern Ireland, it should also be noted that there is still plenty of opportunities for growth, particularly in rural areas where broadband access has historically lagged behind urban centres.
Further to expanding fibre services, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud-based tools is creating new opportunities in the VoIP market. AI-powered virtual assistants are increasingly being integrated within VoIP systems, offering a greater range of functionality that can help improve operational efficiency and productivity.
Finally, as seen in the more global market, as remote and hybrid work models have become increasingly prevalent, given hosted VoIP allows for the usage of smartphones, laptops and tablets to be utilised, with mobile-first communication as the norm and replacing traditional business landlines.
Market Coverage Beyond NI into the UK Market
Whilst resellers can often focus purely on Northern Ireland, businesses can operate across multiple regions including extending into the rest of the UK and therefore resellers who can support and implement current or future multi-site deployments across the UK often find themselves at a significant competitive advantage.
The broader UK market provides both opportunities and challenges for Northern Ireland-based resellers. On one hand, the larger market offers greater scalability and revenue potential. On the other hand, it brings Northern Ireland resellers into direct competition with larger, more established providers who may have advantages in terms of scale and resources.
The key differentiator to these much larger providers is that many businesses value working with providers who understand both local and national requirements, particularly when they're expanding operations across different regions.
Barclay Communications
Barclay Communications represents how local, Belfast-based providers can differentiate themselves for the NI market. Their approach differs significantly from major carriers such as BT, focusing on deep local knowledge and personalised service rather than scale and brand recognition.
As a connectivity specialist that offers both VoIP and fibre broadband services, Barclay Communications is designed to meet business' needs in ways that larger providers simply cannot match.
VoIP Solution
With partnerships with industry leaders such as Gamma and iPECS, Barclay Communications offers VoIP for small businesses, featuring both cloud and on-premises deployment options. They are praised for ease of installation, intuitive management interface and responsive customer support, making it accessible even for users with limited technical expertise.
Users consistently report excellent call quality and reliability, whilst Barclay also focuses on data protection measures and a choice of hardware or softphone solutions to suit various user types.
Infrastructure
To caveat their smaller, more tailored model is that Barclay Communications doesn't own physical infrastructure and instead leverage existing infrastructure whilst adding their own value through their local knowledge and expertise.
Therefore, although they don't maintain direct control or own any infrastructure themselves, Barclay do utilise their local expertise when dealing with complex installations or problem-solving, which can be seen as an infrastructural benefit.
Partner Programme
Barclay Communications operates primarily as a direct service provider, taking a consultative approach that focuses on building direct customer relationships rather than developing extensive channel partnerships. The consultative approach means that Barclay Communications invests significant time in understanding each customer's specific requirements before proposing solutions.
Commercial Considerations
Barclay Communications aren't necessarily designed for cost efficiency, nor do they come with the wide feature set that large providers offer, with Barclay's solutions being designed to move away from the "one-size-fits-all solutions of larger providers". This means that the value in their offering comes from tackling a business' specific network challenges and the tailoring of the solution to ensure their needs are met.
BT
Arguably the most recognisable brand name in this list, BT’s key advantage lies in its infrastructure scale. For many businesses, BT represents the safe choice, a provider with the resources and track record to support even the most demanding requirements. Their approach combines the reliability and coverage that comes from infrastructure ownership, therefore selling reliable connectivity through both fixed and mobile lines.
VoIP Solution
BT offers Cloud Voice and Cloud Voice Express, offering hosted VoIP that can integrate with CRM systems and a wide range of third-party applications, catering to businesses of all sizes. As a more complete VoIP offering, BT provides features such as automated call redirects, real-time caller information, virtual receptionist and customisable business hours to improve call management processes and customer interactions. Deployment is straightforward, with competitive pricing and a wide range of packages, making it accessible for both small and large enterprises.
Infrastructure
BT Wholesale Hosted Communications (WHC) provides VoIP capabilities for much of Northern Ireland's market, offering the platform that partners often resell under their own brand name.
Maintained through BT's Openreach division, they offer the benefit of owning and operating much of Northern Ireland's fixed-line infrastructure - meaning that service quality, troubleshooting capability and cost control are often difficult for competitors to match. Alongside their fully hosted VoIP, BT offers connectivity options including SoADSL, SOGEA, FTTP, and Ethernet. For cloud-based voice solutions, BT's capabilities include SIP trunking and hosted VoIP.
BT also supports an extensive mobile network across Northern Ireland through EE. This includes upgraded 4G and 5G infrastructure, with 72 sites for widespread coverage, all of which makes their hosted VoIP capabilities increases the incentive of their solution.
Partner Programme
BT's reseller programme operates through BT Wholesale's partner programme, offering multiple tiers designed to accommodate different types and sizes of reselling organisations.
One of the core partner offerings from BT is their full white-labelling capability, which allows partners to offer BT services under their own brand. This creates reseller opportunities for partners to build their own customer relationships whilst leveraging BT's infrastructure and service capabilities and can be particularly valuable for partners who want to maintain their brand identity whilst selling enterprise-grade services.
The Partner Plus Online Hub gives access to quoting tools, provisioning systems, and APIs. Elite partners are assigned dedicated account managers for tailored support. Further to that, BT offers resources including the BT Training Academy, regular webinars and access to technical pre-sales expertise to assist with complex customer requirements.
Commercial Considerations
BT’s commercial approach reflects its status as a premium provider. Entry into the Partner Plus programme at a direct level requires substantial commitments. These typically include an annual spend of at least £250,000 and multi-year contractual terms. As a result, the programme is best suited to larger resellers with an existing customer base and capacity to scale.
For smaller resellers, access to BT’s services is often achieved through wholesale aggregators. This route reduces entry barriers and enables participation without meeting the high direct spend thresholds. Aggregators offer a practical option for those building scale and seeking to establish a footprint in the BT ecosystem.
Revenue sharing is structured through a points-based commission system. Higher partner tiers offer improved margins as sales volumes increase, incentivising growth and rewarding sustained performance. This model supports the development of recurring revenue streams and long-term commercial alignment with BT.
Corporate Telecom
Established in 2004, Corporate Telecom has built its business model around acting as an intermediary between customers and multiple network providers. Positioning themselves as both brokers and resellers, Corporate Telecom maintain premium partnerships with major UK networks including Northern Ireland.
VoIP Solution
Offering BT Cloud Voice for their VoIP solution, customers of Corporate Telecom can gain much of the same benefits as we detailed under BT's VoIP section.
Infrastructure
Corporate Telecom's infrastructure approach is built around leveraging partnerships rather than ownership. They resell BT Cloud Voice and fibre broadband services whilst maintaining access to all major UK mobile networks through independent partnerships.
Through this model, Corporate Telecom focuses their resources on customer service and technical expertise rather than their own infrastructure.
Partner Programme
Corporate Telecom operates as a customer-facing reseller rather than developing sub-partner networks. They act as an intermediary between customers and multiple network providers
Commercial Considerations
Corporate Telecom's commercial model is built around long-term customer relationships rather than transactional sales. Their ability to recommend the most cost-effective or technically appropriate solutions regardless of supplier can provide genuine value to customers, particularly those with complex requirements or those who have had poor experiences with single-provider relationships. This approach helps customers avoid vendor lock-in situations that can occur with single-provider relationships.
However, the model also has inherent limitations. Corporate Telecom's scale compared to major direct providers puts them at a pricing disadvantage, whilst their dependency on suppliers means that they do not have direct control over infrastructure for troubleshooting.
Daisy Communications
Daisy Communications are a major aggregator through their Digital Wholesale Solutions (DWS) division.
VoIP Solution
Utilising their partnership with Gamma, Daisy offers a fully cloud-based VoIP solution, providing more cost-effective telephony and with features such as call forwarding and handling, remote office and admin portals. However, it's worth mentioning that optional extras such as call recording, CRM integrations, video calling, presence monitoring and webchat all may incur further charges.
Infrastructure
Daisy leverages partnerships with tier 1 carriers for their infrastructure, with partners including BT and TalkTalk, meanwhile also offering business mobile plans through relationships with O2 and Vodafone.
Their service portfolio includes broadband services across all available technologies (SoADSL, SOGEA and FTTP), ensuring that resellers can offer solutions to meet business needs, regardless of location or the complexity of requirements. Ethernet leased lines provide enterprise connectivity for businesses with demanding requirements, whilst hosted VoIP phone systems and SIP trunks cater to the full range of voice communication needs.
Partner Programme
Daisy's portfolio and low barriers to entry have made them particularly popular with SME focused resellers who need access to enterprise-grade services without the capital requirements or volume commitments that direct carrier relationships typically require. This creates a more accessible programme for startup resellers and smaller Northern Ireland companies that might struggle to meet the requirements of direct carrier programmes.
Daisy also offers full white-label support, enabling partners to build customer relationships and brand recognition without the infrastructure investment that would otherwise be required - therefore supporting larger resellers.
Commercial Considerations
The significantly lower barriers to entry compared to major carriers (such as BT) make Daisy's programme accessible to a much broader range of potential partners. Without large volume commitments or multi-year contracts required initially, the programme is particularly suitable for new entrants to the market and smaller companies looking to expand their service offerings.
However, the trade-off for accessibility is typically margin pressure. Aggregator models generally offer lower margins than direct relationships, which means partners need to compete on service quality and customer relationships rather than simple price competition.
Fibrus
Fibrus are unique in that they are a regional full-fibre network operator within Northern Ireland. As the primary contractor delivering Project Stratum, the government-subsidised programme bringing gigabit fibre to approximately 76,000 underserved rural premises, Fibrus has played a crucial role in Northern Ireland's connectivity transformation.
VoIP Solution
Fibrus' VoIP offering comes bundled with features such as a voicemail service and withhold phone number as standard, as well as call diverts (though this does require customer services to setup. Their VoIP offering is typically £10 per month, which includes unlimited anytime calls to UK and Ireland fixed line and mobile numbers, whilst they also transfer your existing number free of charge. This makes Fibrus' VoIP solution a cost-effective option, even if it lacks in certain features.
Infrastructure
Fibrus owned fibre optic network and regional focus provide advantages that larger national providers cannot easily replicate, particularly in rural areas where their network provides the only viable high-speed connectivity option.
Fibrus operates infrastructure across Down, Antrim, Fermanagh, and other regions throughout Northern Ireland. Unlike resellers who depend on wholesale access, Fibrus builds and maintains its own FTTP infrastructure, providing direct control over service quality and network development, whilst also serving areas where traditional providers such as BT/Openreach or Virgin Media lack presence.
Partner Programme
Fibrus operates a wholesale-focused partner programme built around Retail Service Provider (RSP) partnerships. Rather than competing directly with resellers, they enable partners by providing wholesale access to their fibre infrastructure.
The open access approach is mandated by public funding requirements for Project Stratum areas, ensuring that multiple service providers can compete to serve customers on Fibrus infrastructure. This creates competitive opportunities for resellers whilst ensuring that public investment benefits consumers through choice and competition.
Fibrus offer a step-by-step onboarding process outlined for new wholesale partners, with a dedicated wholesale support team providing technical and commercial assistance.
However, Fibrus's primary focus on connectivity means they depend on partners for value-added services beyond basic broadband provision. This creates opportunities for partners to differentiate through hosted VoIP, managed services and other value-added offerings.
Commercial Considerations
Fibrus's rural focus creates both opportunities and challenges from a commercial perspective. The lower customer density compared to urban infrastructure providers means potentially higher customer acquisition costs due to geographic dispersion. However, the lack of competition in many of their coverage areas can support higher margins and customer loyalty.
Gamma Telecom
Gamma Telecom operates as the UK market leader in cloud voice and as the top SIP trunk provider by volume. Their focus on advanced cloud-based voice platforms, including the Gamma Horizon hosted PBX system, has made them the go-to choice for many resellers seeking enterprise-grade VoIP solutions.
VoIP Solution
A well-known cloud-hosted VoIP solutions provider, Gamma offers more cost-effective telephony, with features such as call forwarding and handling, remote office, admin portals and integration with business systems. Deployment is usually straightforward, with a focus on user experience, high call quality, security and a range of hardware or softphone options.
Infrastructure
Whilst Gamma does not own last-mile fibre infrastructure, Gamma provides broadband and Ethernet services by wholesaling Openreach lines, focusing their investment and expertise on the voice and communications layers.
Their Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) services provide business mobile SIMs that can be integrated with voice solutions, offering resellers the ability to provide more complete communications packages rather than just individual services.
Partner Programme
Gamma's 100% channel focus has allowed them to develop multiple models designed to accommodate different types of resellers and service providers. Their commission-based compensation model for smaller partners reduces risk and enables participation without significant upfront investment.
For partners operating under commission models, Gamma handles provisioning, billing, and customer support, allowing partners to focus on sales and customer relationships.
However, larger MSPs and service providers can access white-label options that provide greater margin potential alongside increased operational responsibility
In terms of support, Gamma provides dedicated account managers and co-branded marketing materials provide support that helps partners compete effectively against larger providers.
Commercial Considerations
Gamma's relatively accessible entry terms with standard 3-year wholesale agreements provide predictability for business planning whilst avoiding the excessive commitment requirements that some carrier programmes demand. Volume incentives reward partner commitment and growth, creating clear pathways for business development.
However, Gamma's success and market position mean that their services are widely available through multiple partners, which can create competitive pressure among resellers. Success with Gamma typically depends on service quality and customer relationships rather than exclusive access to unique services.
Plusnet
VoIP Solution
As of the time of writing, Plusnet don't actually offer their own VoIP solution. We have, however, included them in this list as you can get digital voice with a Plusnet router. Third-party VoIP providers are compatible with Plusnet routers, offering digital phone options for customers that already utilise Plusnet for their broadband connectivity.
Infrastructure
Plusnet operates as a value-focused provider that leverages BT and Openreach infrastructure. Their cost-effective fibre broadband offers speeds up to 76 Mbps, suitable for SMEs looking for value-driven solutions.
Partner Programme
Plusnet's partner programme supports bulk purchasing arrangements that can be used for internal consumption or onward resale. The programme includes a dedicated partner portal and helpdesk, providing self-service capabilities that reduce operational overhead for both Plusnet and their partners.
Self-service billing control and autonomy over end-user support allows partners to maintain customer relationships whilst reducing Plusnet's operational costs. This approach works well for partners who have existing customer support capabilities and want to maintain direct customer relationships.
Commercial Considerations
Plusnet's positioning as a cost-effective provider, with entry-level fibre packages starting at £27.50, makes them attractive to price-sensitive customers and resellers focused on the value market segment.
However, Plusnet does not offer the same level of brand prestige or infrastructure independence as providers like BT or Virgin Media. This positioning means they typically compete on price and value rather than premium features or service levels, which may limit their appeal for higher-end customers or complex requirements.
Simplicity Group
Simplicity Group operates as a specialist cloud telephony provider that differentiates through value-added services and regional expertise rather than competing on price. Their positioning as a platinum partner and value-added reseller for Gamma's services allows them to combine Gamma's technical capabilities with their own service expertise.
VoIP Solution
Simplicity offer their business VoIP telephony and Cloud telephone systems, namely Agility, for Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK. Offering interactive voice recording menus and using custom on-hold marketing, meanwhile also offer free on-net calls, number availability and site-to-site transfers for multi-branch/multi-location businesses. Whilst their feature set is more limited, Simplicity do state on their website that they intend to "offer a competitive price and a better service than any other provider."
Infrastructure
Operating through their partnership with Gamma, Simplicity Group provides full-fibre broadband via Openreach, hosted telephony, and SIP-based voice solutions. The partnership model allows them to focus on service delivery and customer support rather than infrastructure management.
Partner Programme
As a platinum partner and value-added reseller, Simplicity Group adds their own service layer including setup, support and customisation services. Their service model supports multi-site businesses with features such as free on-net calls, site-to-site transfers, and comprehensive hosted voice features. This integrated approach appeals to businesses that want single point-of-contact service delivery rather than managing multiple supplier relationships.
Commercial Considerations
Simplicity Group's focus on cloud telephony specialisation allows them to differentiate through value-added services and regional expertise rather than competing purely on price. The bespoke approach appeals to businesses that need tailored cloud voice solutions and are willing to pay premium prices for expert service delivery.
Sky Wholesale
Infrastructure
Sky Wholesale leverages both Openreach's last-mile network and Sky's own backhaul infrastructure to offer SOGEA, FTTP, Ethernet leased lines and SIP-based voice services. Their position as part of the broader Sky organisation provides both brand recognition and technical capabilities that appeal to many resellers.
Sky Ethernet 1 Gbps services delivered through partnerships such as SSE/Neos provide high-speed connectivity options for demanding business applications.
Partner Programme
Sky Wholesale operates partner programmes on both referral and agency bases, making their services accessible to resellers with different business models and capabilities. The programme is particularly suitable for mid-sized resellers in Northern Ireland who want access to national provider capabilities without the commitment requirements of larger programmes.
This is reflected in the commission-focused partner programme, which provides dedicated account managers, portals for service management, training resources, co-branded marketing materials and regular webinars/roadshows.
Commercial Considerations
Sky Wholesale's volume commitments should be considered moderate - more accessible than the likes of BT but requires more commitment than smaller aggregators. This positioning makes them suitable for established resellers who can commit to meaningful volumes whilst avoiding excessive risk.
It's also worth considering potential value added reselling opportunities, such as bundling broadband with TV content for hospitality venues, which create differentiation in opportunities that can command greater profits whilst providing genuine customer value.
Starlink (SpaceX)
For Northern Ireland, with its challenging rural geography, Starlink provides connectivity options that aren't easily possible or readily available with traditional terrestrial infrastructure.
Infrastructure
Starlink's satellite broadband delivers high-speed internet access (over 100 Mbps) across even the most remote or underserved areas of Northern Ireland. This capability is particularly valuable for the nearly 2,000 Northern Ireland premises that still cannot access 10 Mbps speeds via traditional landline connections, such as isolated farms, mountain homes or small islands.
Partner Programme
Starlink does not operate a formal public reseller or commission-based partner programme in the traditional sense. However, telecoms dealers can act as unofficial resellers by purchasing kits and services on behalf of clients, often bundling installation with local IT support or charging setup and managed service fees.
This approach allows enterprising resellers to create value-added service offerings around Starlink connectivity, particularly for customers who need professional installation and ongoing support services.
Commercial Considerations
Starlink offers unique value for hard-to-reach customers and can help resellers differentiate their portfolios by offering connectivity solutions where no alternatives exist. The ability to claim "no site is unreachable" in rural markets provides significant competitive advantages for resellers serving agricultural, tourism or remote customers.
TalkTalk Business
Following their recent merger with Virtual1 to form Platform X (PXC), TalkTalk Business is now the UK's largest independent wholesale platform.
VoIP Solution
Partnering with Mitel and Zoom, TalkTalk Business offers UCaaS solutions, supported by their connectivity options, such as leased lines or cellular data and enable Voice communications, all provided through a single supplier. Customers can therefore take advantage of TalkTalk's voice lines, email, video calling, document storage, secure AI integration, instant messaging and other capabilities all from one place. To back all of this up, TalkTalk provide an industry-leading 4 hour fix SLA, dedicated support team and are a budget-friendly implementor.
Infrastructure
TalkTalk's infrastructure combines broadband and voice services delivered primarily via the Openreach network (SoADSL/SOTAP, SOGEA, FTTP and Ethernet leased lines) with their own Local Loop Unbundling (LLU) network in parts of the UK. They have also trialled independent fibre builds, demonstrating their commitment to infrastructure development beyond simple wholesale relationships.
Partner Programme
The PXC partner programme supports both small and large resellers with scalable solutions that can grow alongside partner businesses.
One of the key benefits of TalkTalk's offering is their award-winning Partner Portal, which provides tools for real time quoting, ordering and provisioning, enabling partners to deliver responsive service to their customers. The platform integration means that partners can manage complex multi-service orders through a single interface rather than coordinating across multiple supplier systems.
Further to their portal, TalkTalk offer training, dedicated account managers (for qualifying partners) and white-label options for partners at different stages of development. With approximately 800 partners across the UK, the programme represents one of the larger channel ecosystems in the market.
Commercial Considerations
We'd argue that TalkTalk have positioned themselves as one of the more well-known brand names whilst also offering low entry barriers and competitive pricing, creating a cost-effective alternative to the likes of BT and Virgin Media.
Without large fixed spend requirements, partners can participate meaningfully whilst benefiting from volume-based discounts as their businesses grow.
Virgin Media
Virgin Media operates a proprietary cable and fibre network in urban areas of Northern Ireland, including major centres like Belfast and Derry/Londonderry.
VoIP Solution
Virgin Media Business (VMB) provides hosted voice services under its Cloud Voice portfolio. Alternatively, for SMEs, VMB has offered Voom Voice, a cloud phone service usually bundled with Virgin’s cable broadband for small businesses. Virgin Media Business' hosted VoIP products offer features such as multi-site dialling, unlimited internal calls, call diversion, hunt groups, voicemail to email and conferencing.
If using the Teams Direct Routing, features include integrating the voice service directly into Microsoft Teams interface for users. Virgin’s voice services also include legacy support like ISDN30 (for those not yet moved) and traditional line rental. The Voom Voice solution from VMB offers a more limited array of features but emphasises ease of use, with plug-and-play IP phones and an online portal to manage users.
Infrastructure
Virgin Media's proprietary network uses DOCSIS 3.1 and fibre technologies to deliver gigabit broadband services with speeds ranging from 1-2 Gbps. Their Ethernet leased lines provide enterprise connectivity options, alongside leveraging Opernreach for greater coverage and integrations with the O2 mobile network enables the full suite of communications solutions.
Partner Programme
Virgin Media operates a three-tier channel programme with Approved, Gold, and Platinum levels that provide increasing levels of support and benefits. Each of these tiers are based on sales volume, offering varying levels of support and commercial advantages, making the programme suitable for both small and large resellers.
Whilst Approved tiers have access to a partner success team that provides assistance throughout the service lifecycle, Gold and Platinum tiers build on this, with these partners receiving dedicated account management support. Technical support provides a certification programme and pre-sales support for complex deployments and is complemented by a 24/7 dedicated partner support desk that operates independently from end-user support channels.
Virgin Media do offer white-label options, custom billing and co-branded marketing materials, all of which enable partners to maintain their brand identity whilst leveraging Virgin Media's infrastructure and service capabilities.
Commercial Considerations
Virgin Media's UltimateFlex pricing model offers no installation fees and month-to-month cancellation options on some services, providing flexibility that appeals to businesses seeking to minimise commitment whilst accessing high-quality connectivity.
The ability to bundle mobile, broadband and hosted voice services creates opportunities for partners to offer more complete packages that provide both customer convenience and improved partner margins through multi-service relationships.
Vodafone
Well-known for their mobile network capabilities, Vodafone provides 4G/5G coverage, offering rural areas of Northern Ireland with more connectivity opportunities. Further to this, their OneNet cloud-based communications platform combines mobile and VoIP capabilities, appealing to businesses adopting mobile-first communication strategies.
VoIP Solution
One of the key features of Vodafone's hosted VoIP is that it joins up landline and mobile communications, providing multi-site businesses the ability to handle calls as one virtual office, whilst also providing other caller functions such as hunt groups and auto attendant, all managed via a single cloud-based management platform. This streamlines the experience for users regardless whether they are connecting via desk phones, mobiles, tablets or computers, which can also be essential for minimising on-premises hardware required.
On top of the physical feature benefits, Vodafone charges a flat-rate monthly fee with unlimited internal calls and reduces call divert charges by keeping communications within the Vodafone network, offering potential cost savings for prospective customers.
Infrastructure
Further to their mobile network, Vodafone also offer 4G/5G coverage through their joint infrastructure with O2, as well as reselling Openreach's fibre services for a complete portfolio of connectivity.
The OneNet platform represents Vodafone's approach to unified communications, combining mobile and VoIP services in cloud-based solutions that support a business' full range of communication requirements.
Partner Programme
Vodafone's accredited partner programme operates through multiple tiers: Approved, Specialist, Advanced and the Total Communications Partner level. Each tier provides increasing levels of support, training and commercial benefits, whilst benefits include training, co-selling support and brand leverage opportunities.
Commercial Considerations
By providing mobile services alongside broadband and VoIP capabilities, Vodafone are particularly suitable for resellers targeting multi-site businesses, IoT projects or mobile-first clients.
However, smaller resellers may face limited direct support unless they achieve upper-tier status in the partner programme.
Yellowcom
Yellowcom is a regional service provider focusing on direct service delivery throughout Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and parts of Scotland. They operate from bases in Belfast, Glasgow and Dublin, with over 15 years of experience supporting businesses with tailored communication solutions.
VoIP Solution
Yellowcom's business phone systems, including cloud-based VoIP, on-premise PBX and hybrid solutions offer features such as call analytics, remote work facilitation, call diversion to mobiles, and business-grade security, all supported by local experts.
Infrastructure
Further to VoIP, Yellowcom delivers a range of business broadband solutions, as well as mobile services. These business mobile solutions, help clients choose the best contracts, devices and tariffs for their needs, as well as enabling a UCaaS approach to streamline messaging, conferencing and collaboration through cloud-based platforms.
Partner Programme
Yellowcom doesn't offer a reseller or partner programme, focusing on direct service delivery to end customers.
Commercial Considerations
Yellowcom's commercial model emphasises tailored, cost-effective telecoms solutions with a focus on local expertise and personalised service.
Zen Internet
Zen Internet are an independent ISP that delivers broadband and Ethernet services in Northern Ireland via the Openreach network.
VoIP Solution
Zen offers both Business Digital Voice and CloudComms for it's VoIP offerings. The first of these being a cost-effective, single-line VoIP service starting at £5 per month (excluding VAT) with 1,000 UK landline/mobile minutes. Unlimited minutes from £12.50 per month and offers calling, voicemail, call waiting, diversion, barring, number porting and mobile integrations (with the FRITZ! App). On the other hand, the CloudComms solution is an enterprise-grade omnichannel solution powered by Cisco’s BroadWorks, ideal for larger businesses. This provides a single platform for voice, video, messaging and email, integrated Cisco Webex calling.
Zen's offerings provide many of the standard hosted VoIP feature set, including multi-user management, call forwarding, hunt groups, voicemail to email and an admin portal. Whilst not as feature-rich or marketed as heavily as specialised UC providers, Zen’s solution covers essential features for businesses focusing on voice reliability and simplicity.
Infrastructure
Delivering SOGEA, FTTP and Ethernet leased lines up to 10 Gbps, Zen Internet also offers cloud hosting services including backup, Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) and disaster recovery to provide greater value-added opportunities for resellers.
The planned introduction of their "Fibre Hub" platform in 2025 represents an easier way to access to multiple fibre networks through a single interface, enabling resellers to serve clients across various infrastructures without needing separate relationships with each provider.
Partner Programme
Zen Internet's channel partner programme has earned recognition for its personalised approach, providing training modules and co-marketing support that helps partners build their businesses effectively. The programme supports white-label reselling through managed wholesale arrangements and Layer 2 interconnects.
Commercial Considerations
Zen Internet's programme is highly accessible, requiring no large minimum spend commitments or telecommunications licensing. This accessibility makes them particularly suitable for new entrants to the market or existing IT service providers looking to expand into connectivity services.