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Olive buys Vodafone dealer Direct Communications

Michael Garwood
July 29, 2013

The purchase is Olive’s eight in the past year and gives it 3,000 more Vodafone connections

Olive Communications has completed a hat-trick of deals this month, boosting its base by almost 6,000 connections.

The High Wycombe-based Vodafone platinum partner last week completed a deal to buy London-based rival Direct Communications for an undisclosed fee.

The business,which was set up 18 years ago by proprietor Max Smith, gives Olive 3,000 more Vodafone connections.

Olive’s managing director, Martin Flick (pictured), told Mobile News the base opens up “great” opportunities to sell in additional products and services such as fixed voice, data and broadband and IP telephony solutions.

Smith and Direct’s four remaining members of staff will join Olive to manage their existing relationships.The Direct brand is expected to be phased out later in the year.

The deal is Olive’s eighth dealer or base acquisition in the past year, having also acquired Mobile Phone Centre (MPC) in Westcliff, MPC London,

MPC Orpington, Connection 365, Pioneer, Parkway Telecom and Airwaves.

Corporate wins

In addition, Olive has signed up two new corporate accounts totalling more than 2,500 connections.

These include a deal with international law firm Ashurst worth 1,500 connections – all on BlackBerry – from B2B rival Cortel.

The deal includes mobile access to global managed services provider iPass’s 1.2 million Wi-Fi hotspots in 123 countries around the world for all Ashurst employees.

Olive has also agreed a deal with Ark Home Healthcare for around 1,000 connections, previously with both Vodafone and O2 direct.

Flick told Mobile News he expects Olive to complete more corporate deals and dealer acquisitions this year.

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