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Sure is investing millions of pounds in local connectivity backed by the global knowledge, expertise and scale of the Beyon group. Sure Group chief executive Alistair Beak and Beyon Group chief executive Andrew Kvålseth tell JEP Business how their vision for how high-speed networks will continue to fuel prosperity, connectivity and possibility for our islands, and why we can all look forward to an ambitious future that has connections at its heart
HEADQUARTERED in Guernsey and spanning seven island jurisdictions with a team of 400, Sure has a long history of connecting smaller communities and providing them with telecommunications infrastructure and services. Sure is part of Beyon – a technology group born in Bahrain to reach out to the region and beyond with best-in-class solutions covering money, cyber, telecoms, digital transformation and more.
With Sure’s operations across the Channel Islands, Isle of Man, Falkland Islands, Diego Garcia, St Helena and Ascension Island, and Beyon’s group covering Bahrain, Jordan, Maldives, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Yemen, the combined reach is truly global.
Being part of the Beyon group is “very important, fundamental and informs who we are”, said Sure Group chief executive Alistair Beak. For Andrew, Sure “stands as a key player in Beyon’s connectivity strategy, complementing our other operations”.
Unlocking opportunities and empowering communities together
Sure’s purpose – “connecting our island communities for a better future” – is echoed by Beyon and speaks to what technology can enable: human connection through digital connectivity.
“There is a very human element to working in the technology industry,” Beyon Group chief executive Andrew Kvålseth said. “What we do connects people and businesses, drives inclusion and unlocks opportunities for growth. Our job is to provide the platforms that enable creativity, innovation and progress, laying the foundations for what people want to achieve.”
Technology is a way for communities to thrive
Andrew Kvålseth
A people-focused approach extends to the companies’ teams, who are working together to share knowledge and experience to deliver a world-class experience for Sure customers.
Alistair said: “The skills and professionalism of Sure’s teams are delivering on this promise. They manage fixed networks, run data centres, optimise mobile sites to get the best coverage possible for every customer, even those in hard-to-reach areas, and so much more. At Sure we’re proving every day that if you want to work in technology and build a technical specialism, you’re not limited by living on an island.”
Access to greater scale benefits customers
Being part of Beyon gives Sure access to a scale that would otherwise be out of reach for an island-based tech provider. Operational advantages like more efficient procurement ultimately benefit Sure’s customers, as does the ability to share knowledge and best practices with a ready-made peer group.
When Cyrille Joffre, Sure’s chief operating officer, was planning the integration of thousands of Airtel customers into Sure’s systems he was able to share his project plan with other chief operating officers and chief technical officers across the Beyon group with extensive experience in this specific type of technically challenging project.
“Instances like that prove the immense value of being part of the group,” said Alistair. “Cyrille and his team had other people to bounce ideas off and act as a sounding board. They could share when they’d had to do something similar and learn from each other’s experiences. Similarly, I meet regularly with the board and can stress-test ideas and demonstrate the ways Sure is having a tangible impact on our customers’ lives.
“Everyone at Sure is inspired by being part of an ambitious group.”
Sure’s sizeable investment programme has the full backing of Beyon. Over five years, £100m will be spent across the Channel Islands and Isle of Man to build world-class networks that are the backbone of connectivity and our increasingly digital lives.
Andrew provided the context: “Sure spends about £1,000 per capita in the islands. Extrapolate that to the UK and you’re talking about what would be £60bn. That level of commitment illustrates the scale of our ambition and the impact that we believe world-class connectivity has on driving prosperity. The result will be networks that are fit to serve people in the islands.”
Building the future together
In Jersey, fibre connectivity is making a huge difference to Sure’s customers, who are enjoying the high speeds, reliable connections and unlimited downloads. Sure’s presence in the Island has provided stiff competition for the incumbent operator through greater innovation around pricing, products and customer experience – something that has always been appreciated by Islanders who value the choice.
Having a culture that is focused on always improving keeps Sure searching for the next development that will benefit customers – whether that’s network investment, 5G or an ever-evolving local cloud service for businesses. Sure and Beyon are aligned in their ethos that they will not sit still and will continue to enhance the offering to increase the scope of what customers can do with digital solutions.
Complementing fibre networks and bringing comparable speeds for islanders on the go is the next generation of mobile technology – 5G.
Beyon has built and successfully runs 5G networks in other jurisdictions, so Sure will be able to consult this expertise on best practice, with the work being carried out by local teams.
“5G is going to bring faster speeds and greater coverage across the islands and be a leap forward in mobile connectivity,” said Alistair. “Across the Channel Islands, the combination of Sure’s and Airtel’s networks will create the islands’ largest mobile network, resulting in significantly better coverage for customers.
“Our teams are getting ready for the roll-out now and we’ve appointed a well-known, experienced vendor. This is another significant investment for us and it’s one that will deliver the world-class connectivity that people want and need to live their best digital lives.”
Technology is the foundation for others to build on
Alistair and Andrew agree that despite how exciting they find technology, it’s what people do with it that really counts.
“Working in tech means staying ahead at all times,” said Alistair. “What we’re doing every day is thinking ‘what’s Sure’s role in helping the islands stay, and become even more, innovative’, and then we actively develop the ideas and knowledge that will make that happen.
“That extends to working directly with governments, schools, businesses and individuals.
Everyone uses our networks – we’ve got about 200,000 customers across the islands – so we need to allow them to capitalise on the foundations we’ve put down. That might be through AI, Cloud, or building layered 5G networks.”
But it’s not just networks, Sure also provides the solutions that help local businesses to function and grow, leveraging Beyon’s group investments in data centres, cyber security and digital solutions for local gains.
For households, Sure has introduced the Home Tech Team, who visit people when it’s convenient to make sure they’re getting those super-fast fibre speeds, enjoying great WiFi coverage and maximising the connectivity that is being delivered to their property.
Andrew concluded: “Sure is growing thanks to its investments and is laying the groundwork for others to build and grow from. It’s powered by a belief that technology is a way for communities to thrive.”
With world-class networks backed by a global group with specialist expertise and experience, Sure is forging ahead with its purpose to connect our island communities for a better future – an exciting, tech-enabled, collaborative future that is closer than you might think.
