MLNET, THE provider of wireless broadband to corporate clients, has “turned a corner”, according to its backers, and has signed up a significant number of clients in recent months, including magazine publisher Harmonia.
John Earley, strategic development director of Metronet UK, which offers similar services in Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds, is one of the main shareholders in MLNet along with local managing director Martin Smyth and technical director Carl Grice.
Earley came on board when the company began to offer services in the Dublin area in 2008. With the recession in full swing, a new entrant to the market, even with the backing of a successful British provider, found it next to impossible to sign up customers.
“I told Martin to pull the plug a number of times,” admits Earley.
The breakthrough for the company came when it won the contract to provide connectivity for Zozzy TV, a project which allowed the public to send video clips from their mobile phones to large screens on Grafton Street, Henry Street and Temple Bar in the run-up to Christmas last year.
According to Smyth, the flexibility of MLNet’s wireless solution meant that it was able to provide connectivity to the screens, which were mounted on the outside wall of retail premises, when other providers could not.
MLNet also promised a three-hour response time, a service level it provides to all customers, should the connection go down. Earley says both MLNet and Metronet UK pride themselves on providing a personal support service to their customers.
“You will never ring MLNet and get through to a customer service centre somewhere,” says Earley. “That’s when you’ll know I’ve sold out of the company.”
Harmonia, publisher of Irish Tatler and Woman’s Way, is one of the latest customers to switch over to MLNet.
Initially installed on a trial basis as a back-up to the primary BT circuit installed at Harmonia, the MLNet wireless connection is now it’s main network connection.
In addition to providing connectivity for its PCs and servers, Harmonia’s voice-over IP telephone service also runs over the MLNet leased line.
“I liked the idea of being able to talk to named engineers directly that were capable of resolving problems,” says Killian Lynch, Harmonia’s IT manager.
Although MLNet has looked at expanding to other cities in Ireland, those plans are on hold while it consolidates its foothold in Dublin.
Flushed with recent successes, though, Smyth says the firm will start recruiting a small number of staff next month.
