TalkTalk Business acquires managed IT and cybersecurity firm Planet IT

TalkTalk Business, which is headquartered in Salford, has bought Planet IT, a managed IT and cybersecurity specialist, in a deal both companies say will improve their ability to provide secure, reliable technology services to UK businesses.

The acquisition is part of TalkTalk Business's plan to grow its managed services and continue its shift from a traditional connectivity provider to a managed network services provider since it was demerged from TalkTalk Group.

Planet IT was founded in Oxfordshire and has more than 23 years' experience of providing managed IT support, cybersecurity and Microsoft cloud services to a range of SME and enterprise customers. It was recently named the No.1 Technology Company to Work For in the UK by Best Companies.

The deal brings together Planet IT's expertise with TalkTalk Business's national connectivity, advanced networking and unified communications (UC) products, helping customers move to the cloud, adopt hybrid working and speed up digital transformation.

Planet IT founders Gavin Jones and Sean Smith will stay on to run the business with the current leadership team, providing continuity for customers, partners and staff.

Ruth Kennedy, chief executive of TalkTalk Business, said: “Bringing Planet IT into TalkTalk Business is an important step in expanding our managed services capabilities.”

“Planet IT’s strong technical capability, experienced team and loyal customer base complement our strengths in connectivity, while its culture and customer-first approach closely align with our own values.”

“Together, we can offer customers a more comprehensive technology proposition, supporting organisations as they adopt cloud platforms, strengthen security and enable modern ways of working.”

Gavin Jones, co-CEO of Planet IT, said: “Over the past two decades, we have built a strong reputation for delivering high quality IT support and services. Joining TalkTalk Business gives us the scale and investment to build on that success.”

“My co-founder Sean Smith and I will remain with the business, along with our leadership team, directors and staff, so our customers and suppliers will continue working with the same people they know and trust.”

“Demand for secure managed IT services continues to grow as organisations rely more heavily on cloud platforms and digital infrastructure. Joining TalkTalk Business means we’ll be able to offer our customers a wider range of services, and support their growth more effectively, while continuing to deliver the high-quality service our customers expect.”