Nextgenaccess puts industry veteran in charge of UK fibre expansion

An image of an open fibre cable displaying the fibres in a pink light
(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Nextgenaccess has appointed Bob Falconer as non-executive director. The company hopes Falconer will help boost its core fibre network and expand its reach of low-cost full fibre services to businesses and the public sector.

“Having Bob Falconer on board is a major coup for Nextgenaccess,” Mark Weller, managing director of Nextgenaccess said. “He is highly regarded throughout the industry, a channel champion and well-versed in turning the full fibre regulatory landscape to advantage. Being able to call on Bob’s high calibre expertise and guidance will undoubtedly sharpen our competitive edge as we look to accelerate growth and take the business to the next level.”

Falconer’s experience at telecoms businesses including Gamma Telecom and Racal Telecom puts him in a solid position to lead the company’s planned growth strategy. He will work closely with the channel to drive forward the company’s fibre business, building relationships and expanding current opportunities within the sector.

“2019 promises to be a very exciting year for Nextgenaccess and our growing network of channel partners as we continue the rapid rollout of next-generation full-fibre broadband at a proven lower cost than traditional telecoms operators,” Weller added.

At Gamma, Falconer was responsible for significantly growing the business, from its start-up state in 2003 through its IPO in 2014. He repeatedly grew EBITDA, profit and cash over the period to achieve the AIM "Company of the Year" award in 2017/18.

“This is a very exciting time to keep involved in the telecoms industry,” Falconer said. “The reality of fibre to the premises and 5G is driving unprecedented change and with this Nextgenaccess has a compelling and differentiated full fibre offering. I relish helping the company’s excellent senior management team maximise the substantial market opportunities and growth potential on offer.

“I hope my industry and management experience can bring value and help ensure Nextgenaccess achieves its business goals. An integral part of this is the forging of strong mutually profitable relationships with channel partners.”

Clare Hopping
Freelance writer

Clare is the founder of Blue Cactus Digital, a digital marketing company that helps ethical and sustainability-focused businesses grow their customer base.

Prior to becoming a marketer, Clare was a journalist, working at a range of mobile device-focused outlets including Know Your Mobile before moving into freelance life.

As a freelance writer, she drew on her expertise in mobility to write features and guides for ITPro, as well as regularly writing news stories on a wide range of topics.