Delivering powerful Wi-Fi connectivity to the UK

Delivering a fast and reliable Wi-Fi connection to customers is at the core of any internet service provider’s (ISP) value proposition.

With that in mind, Grain Connect, the UK-based alternative network provider and ISP, began its search for a new customer-premise equipment (CPE) provider. The company needed a partner to help reduce Wi-Fi dropouts that were affecting the customer experience.

– A key problem that we currently face in the industry is Wi-Fi connectivity. If you have too many routers near each other, connectivity drops. It is a bit like being in a room with 30 people, all shouting – nobody can hear a word of what is being said.

However, when you have only one person in the room speaking softly, it works much better. The same goes for routers, explains Richard Robinson, managing director at Grain Connect.

It was vital for Grain Connect to find a CPE provider that was responsive to technical issues, understood commercial changes, and produced a reliable product that would enable Grain Connect to deliver its hyper-fast fiber broadband without any interruptions.

Quality, value & design

Being both an FTTH (fiber-to-the-home) provider and a P2P (point-to-point) provider, only a few players in the market could accommodate Grain Connect’s requirements, in addition to its high quality and reliability standards. After in-depth analyses, it became evident that Icotera’s CPE was not only the best match for Grain Connect but a great match too.

– Companies like ours will be buying lots of routers, but they must be top quality. If we have any issues, we cannot wait six months for a technical solution, as we will lose the customer within that timeframe. That is why it was important for us that Icotera’s CPE met – and continues to meet – our customers’ needs for strong Wi-Fi connectivity, explains Robinson.

Another hallmark of Icotera’s CPE is the design of the equipment itself, and this does not go unnoticed, as Robinson reveals:

– One of the most important aspects of Icotera’s products is that they are aesthetically pleasing. Not only do Icotera’s products meet our customers’ needs, but they also look great in their homes.

The Icotera way: collaboration and support

For Grain Connect, working with Icotera has been a great help, especially navigating the challenges and uncertainties of both Brexit and Covid-19, as Richard Robinson explains:

– Icotera are collaborative and proactive in their approach. They have worked with us to ensure that we have the right stock levels at the right time, and they have helped us understand the commercial impact of both Brexit and Covid-19. It is a positive way of working together.

Grain Connect’s direct access to Icotera’s technical support team is another advantage of working together. Cutting out intermediaries and allowing direct access has meant that any technical problems are solved quickly.

When asked what he would describe as the highlight of working with Icotera, Robinson answered:

– I would say that Icotera is a supportive and proactive business that is really there to help us. They are very supportive of what we are doing and what we want to achieve.

FAST TRACK…..

• Grain Connect is a UK-based alternative network provider and ISP with 10+ years of experience delivering FTTH and P2P solutions to communities across the UK.
• Icotera has been Grain Connect’s trusted CPE provider since 2019.